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Leinster booked a Pro14 final date with Munster on March 27 after a bonus points win over Conference A rivals Ulster in Belfast.
In an eventful game, Leinster was 3-for-12 behind and had two overlapping yellow cards, scoring attempts by Michael Bent, Josh Van Der Flier and Ed Byrne to give them a 24-12 lead at halftime.
The bonus point came in the second half of a Rhys Ruddock try before Dan Sheehan crossed for Leinster’s final and fifth try in the final minute.
Ross Byrne kicked all five conversions and added a penalty.
Ulster received a red card to replacement prop Andy Warwick and Stuart McCloskey showed a yellow card, while Leinster had Devin Toner and Jimmy O’Brien in the trash in the first half.
Leinster’s Ruddock was also sent off late in the second half as was Ulster’s Cormac Izuchukwu on a busy night for referee Frank Murphy.
Ulster scored first-half tries through Marcell Coetzee and Robert Baloucoune with Nick Timoney crossing at the end.
Ross Byrne took Leinster off the mark with a penalty in the fourth minute after the returning Coetzee was penalized on the breakdown.
Soon after, Toner received a yellow card from referee Murphy for a high blow on Michael Lowry and Ulster struck shortly after when, after two corner penalties, Coetzee fought his way near the posts.
John Cooney converted to put Ulster 7-3 up and with Toner out of bounds, Ulster made the lead pay off with a wonderful move that ended with Baloucoune driving into the corner.
Although Cooney hit the post with the conversion attempt, Ulster was now 12-3 up front, although Leinster was reduced to 13 men, as center O’Brien also received a yellow card for head contact with Ian Madigan.
With Toner back on the field, the Leinster pack improved their game and when Ulster began awarding penalties in his 22, the visitors took advantage of two penalties with Bent crashing to the side of the posts, allowing Ross Byrne to convert to put the 12-10.
The reigning Pro14 champions, now back at 15, kept up the pressure and after Luke McGrath was brought down by Cooney, McCloskey was condemned to sin and once again Leinster seized the penalty allowing Van der Flier to slip away. .
Leinster now had the upper hand and Ross Byrne’s conversion made it 17-12.
Ulster was then downgraded to 13 when Warwick turned red after his elbow made contact with Ed Byrne and shortly thereafter the home team lost the Talisman Coetzee due to injury.
With McCloskey still seeing a timeout for his yellow card, Leinster scored his third down as Ed Byrne dived from close range, Ross Byrne converted again to stretch his lead to 24-12, which is how the half ended.
Baloucoune then went through what seemed like a wonderful score only to be ruled out due to an apparent McCloskey block on Ruddock.
A series of penalties against Ulster around the clock saw the visitors take several tap-and-go penalties and, despite a determined defense from Ulster, Ruddock finally broke under the posts for the key bonus point.
Ross Byrne’s conversion brought Leinster to 31-12 ahead.
After camping on the Leinster line, which saw Ruddock in the trash, Timoney finally recovered after 72 minutes Lowry converted.
The game ended when Sheehan crossed after the Izuchuckwu garbage.
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