Hard Luck Ulster

As the Pro12 season reaches its anticipated exciting climax, the Irish provinces of Munster and Ulster experienced contrasting fortunes, as the league campaign made way for the nailbiting semi finals stage. In the event, Munster were sufficiently streetwise to progress to the final, while poor old Ulster fell narrowly short in Glasgow, thereby missing out on home advantage in the final.

The men from the far south survived a late scare to overcome the considerable challenge of the Ospreys. In a sense justice was done in that the top two teams in the league progress to the final, but it could easily have been so much different. Glasgow stoutly held on to their outstanding unbeaten home record, but Ulster did everything but win in their Friday night tussle. The visitors led eight-six at the interval, a score which did not reflect their first-half dominance. Although Pienaar landed a monster penalty in the second half, the hosts fought back from the dead, by scoring a late converted try which broke Ulster hearts and taught the away team a harsh lesson that possession and territory must be translated into points. Ulster can count themselves unlucky, especially as the difference between defeat and a draw was merely a missed conversion. Perhaps Munster will be less generous towards Glasgow in what proves to be another likely close encounter of the rugby union kind this forthcoming Saturday at the Kingspan Stadium, Ravenhill.

The results were as follows:

Glasgow 16 ULSTER 14

[Glasgow try-scorer: van der Merwe; ULSTER try-scorer: Henry]

MUNSTER 21 Ospreys 18

[MUNSTER try-scorers: Zebo, Hurley, Butler; Ospreys try-scorers: Webb, Hassler]

Elsewhere, the Irish selectors have understandably loaded their squad [and team] with Leinster and Ulster players ahead of the non-capped Thomond Park bout with the Barbarians, scheduled for Thursday the 28th of May. This occasion will be an ideal opportunity for a few fresh faces to lay down a marker for future inclusion in the national team. Obviously, the Munster contingent are unavailable, and the team will have a distorted look to it, but it will be a chance for a few people to serve up an entertaining end-of-season feast against a team renowned for its commitment to running rugby. The Ireland team is as follows:

15 Rob Kearney (Leinster); 14 Dave Kearney (Leinster), 13 Colm O'Shea (Leinster), 12 Luke Marshall (Ulster), 11 Craig Gilroy (Ulster); 10 Ian Madigan (Leinster), 9 Eoin Reddan (Leinster); 1 Jack McGrath (Leinster), 2 Richardt Strauss (Leinster), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Leinster); 4 Dan Tuohy (Ulster), 5 Devin Toner (Leinster); 6 Robbie Diack (Ulster), 7 Chris Henry (Ulster), 8 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: Rob Herring (Ulster), Michael Bent (Leinster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Ben Marshall (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Luke McGrath (Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Cian Kelleher (Leinster).