Challenge Cup: Cardiff 29 Ulster 26
Ulster suffered a dramatic last-minute defeat at Cardiff Arms Park after Callum Sheedy’s penalty allowed the home team snatch what had seemed an unlikely victory in this Challenge Cup clash.
The province had fought back to lead 26-12 only to surrender the advantage with two late yellow cards reducing them to 13 for a period and inviting the Welsh side right back into the contest.
It had started badly for Ulster and with just 12 minutes gone they had already coughed up the same number of points.
First lock George Nott ran in unopposed when the visitors’ defence was torn apart on five minutes, with Leigh Halfpenny converting. Then seven minutes later a ball bounced off Halfpenny’s chest and was recovered by the fullback who fed Tom Bowen and the winger kicked, rounded Werner Kok and scored.
The TMO checked for a knock-on from Halfpenny, but the try stood, though the fullback failed to convert.
Ulster looked rattled but gathered themselves, and from a penalty they mauled towards the Cardiff line allowing Tom Stewart spin off and clatter his way over, with Jake Flannery converting the 21st-minute score.
Then with the half in its final minute, Ulster managed to head into the break ahead for the first time after a pass from Ben Thomas to Callum Sheedy was dropped, allowing James Hume to collect and run all the way to the line.
Flannery ended the half with a conversion to put Ulster 14-12 ahead to lead for the first time in the game.
Werner Kok of Ulster scores a try during the Challenge Cup match at Cardiff Arms Park. Photograph: Simon Galloway/Getty Images
Ulster scored first after the restart when, off a lineout turnover, good hands from Flannery and Moore worked Kok free to cross in the corner. Flannery missed the extras.
But Flannery bisected the posts with a marvellous effort in the 53rd minute after the arrival of Angus Bell, Cormac Izuchukwu and Juarno Augustus all contributed to the lead up for Kok’s second try, which put the province 14 points ahead and gave them the try bonus.
Four minutes after the hour sub prop Danny Southworth got over at the posts for Cardiff’s first points since the 12th minute. Callum Sheedy converted to cut Ulster’s lead 26-19.
Both sides were then reduced to 14 when Harry Sheridan and James Botham were yellow-carded for fighting after the Cardiff flanker had collided heavily with Zac Ward.
Ulster were cut to 13 when Ben Carson was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on and shortly afterwards Dan Thomas had Cardiff’s bonus point, with Sheedy’s conversion tying the scores.
Then came the last-minute penalty from a scrum and up stepped Sheedy to win it.
CARDIFF: L Halfpenny; J Adams, H Millard, B Thomas, T Bowen; C Sheedy, A Davies; R Barratt, D Hughes, K Assiratti; G Nott, R Thornton; J Botham, D Thomas, A Lawrence (capt).
Replacements: S Wainwright for Assiratti (31 mins); E Lloyd for Barratt (40); D Southworth for Hughes (46); J McNally for Nott (51); C Winnett for Halfpenny (57); J Beetham for Bowen (66); L de la Rua for D Thomas, E Bevan for Davies (both 76).
Yellow card: J Botham (67 mins).
ULSTER: S Moore; W Kok, J Hume, B Carson, Z Ward; J Flannery, C McKee; S Crean, T Stewart (capt), T O’Toole; H Sheridan, C Irvine; D McCann, S Reffell, B Ward.
Replacements: B McNamara for Moore (16-21mins) and for Hume (75); Izuchukwu for Irvine, J Augustus for Reffell, A Bell for Crean (all 49); R McGuire for O’Toole (50); J Andrew for Stewart (60); D Shanahan for McKee (68); J Humphreys for Flannery (76).
Yellow cards: H Sheridan (67 mins); B Carson (72).
Referee: E Urruzmendi (France).
