URC: Second half does the damage as Ulster take another inter-pro win

Ulster produced a fine second half display to move above Munster in the URC table after a dominant performance against their interprovincial rivals in Belfast.

Tries after the break from Tom Stewart, Jake Flannery and Man of the Match Bryn Ward proved enough for Richie Murphy's side, with Nathan Doak's boot doing the remainder of the damage against Clayton McMillan's men.

It was no more than the hosts deserved as, despite not being at their best, they were comfortably the better team throughout.

Ulster began on the front foot and it took then less than five minutes to open their account as the sleet and snow started to pour down on both the pitch and some of the sold-out crowd at the Affidea Stadium.

The opening score came from the boot of Doak – who penned a new contract to remain with the province until at least 2028 earlier this week – as he knocked over a penalty.

The same player repeated the feat from just outside the 22 with 15 minutes of the half remaining. To make it 6-0 to the home side. However, they struggled to make too many inroads past a stubborn Munster defence in terms of securing a try in the opening period.

Three minutes later, the visitors got their first points of the night, from the boot of JJ Hanrahan, with a close-range penalty. That was pretty much as good as it got before the interval in what was a poor game in the first half.

However, Ulster began the second period with more purpose and after two superb breaks in quick succession by the powerhouse Bryn Ward, they eventually fed the ball wide to Jacob Stockdale on left. He thought he had got it down, but a TMO check ruled he had been in touch.

Play was brought back for an earlier Ulster penalty and this time they did get the first try of the match as Stewart barrelled his way over from close range. Doak converted to make it 16-3 to the home side less than eight minutes after the restart. However, Stockdale had to go off injured in the act of trying to score.

They stretched their advantage on 55 minutes when a brilliant turnover inside the Munster 22 allowed Jack Murphy to feed the ball wide to Werner Kok. He picked up brilliantly to tee up replacement Flannery to dot down in the corner. Doak was unlucky with the conversion from a tight angle on the right as Ulster went 21-3 in front.

They thought they were in again just a few moments later when the roles were reversed as Flannery played the ball wide on the same side to Kok. The South African thought he had managed to get over, but, just like Stockdale earlier, he too was deemed to be in touch.

Their third try did arrive eight minutes from time when the excellent Bryn Ward got over form close range and Doak converted to make it 28-3 and essentially end the game as a contest.

While they were unable to find the bonus point try they craved, Ulster were good value for their victory.

Now they head to Amsterdam to face South African side Toyota Cheetahs next weekend.

MATCH STATS

Ulster: Bell, Stewart, O’Toole, Henderson (C), Hopes, Izuchukwu, Timoney, B Ward, Doak, Murphy, Z Ward, McCloskey, Hume, Kok, Stockdale

Replacements: Herring, O’Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, McCann, McKee, Flannery, Postlethwaite

Tries: Stewart, Flannery, B Ward

Conversions: Doak (2)

Penalties: Doak (3)

Munster: J Wycherley, D Barron (C), Ala’alatoa, Kleyn, F Wycherley, Ahern, Hodnett, Kendellen, Patterson, Hanrahan, Abrahams, Nankivell, Kelly, Nash, Haley

Replacements: L Barron, Loughman, Bartley, O’Donoghue, Gleeson, Coughlan, Butler, O’Brien

Penalty: Hanrahan

Referee: Mike Adamson