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Ulster triumphed 21-7 over the Ospreys at Kingspan Stadium, but failed to secure the bonus point that would have put maximum pressure on Conference A leaders Leinster.
The four points put Dan McFarland’s team one point behind defending Guinness PRO14 champion Leinster ahead of next week’s decisive clash between the teams in Belfast, although the Dubliners play on Sunday.
After being put under great pressure by an energetic Ospreys team, Ulster roared in the second half through a John Andrew score and a penalty try and was unlucky enough not to recover for a fourth touchdown, with Rob Lyttle. having three failed attempts.
Ulster, even with Jacob Stockdale back from injury, had looked down and out in the first half against a determined and precise effort from the Ospreys that was started by Keelan Giles’ first try.
But in the closing minutes of the half, Nick Timoney set John Cooney up for a scoring totally against the running of the game, with Cooney’s conversion tying things at 7-7 and effectively changing the course of the game.
The Ospreys got off to an ideal start when Ian Madigan was brought down by Rhys Webb and Giles won the foot race to the line. Stephen Myler converted the score.
Webb came close to creating another one for the Ospreys with a searing blind-side break before Ulster scrambled to plug the gap and survive.
That was the pattern for the rest of the half, with the Ospreys building up pressure by dominating possession and territory while putting Ulster firmly on the back foot, especially at the scrum, where Gareth Thomas did notable damage.
Ulster looked shocked at the Ospreys’ dominance, but then in the 37th minute, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler’s chip attempt deep into home team territory was blocked, allowing Timoney to recover and break.
Timoney’s pass found Cooney on the outside and the scrum-half entered, with Dan Evans coming out with an injury. Cooney then converted to tie the scores just as the half ended.
The scoring certainly revived Ulster, who started the second half with energy and conviction, though again his accuracy was thwarted in the opening stages with mistakes by Cooney and Michael Lowry.
But Ulster struggled to come back and, after going to the corner twice, a maul led Andrew in in the 54th minute.
Cooney converted again and Ulster now led 14-7.
Two minutes after the hour, a pass from Lyttle to James Hume was deliberately hit by Evans and referee Sean Gallagher awarded Ulster a penalty while yellowing the Ospreys side.
However, Ulster failed to score any more points in the rest of the game, despite Lyttle outscoring three more times with each one discarded.
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