Ulster 24-24 Cardiff Blues: Injured Sam Warburton scores

Sam Warburton, one of the candidates to be captain for the Lions tour, scored a try but later went off injured

Ulster's hopes of making the Guinness PRO12 semi-finals suffered a blow after a 24-24 draw with Cardiff Blues at the Kingspan Stadium which ended the Irish province's run of six straight wins.

In a game which saw the lead change hands, the result leaves Les Kiss' side in fourth with three games to play while the Welsh side stay eighth.

Ulster scored tries through Paddy Jackson and Luke Marshall. Jackson kicked three conversions and a penalty while they were also awarded a penalty try in the first half which ended with the home side leading 14-10.

Blues centre Rey Lee-Lo scored two second half tries while skipper Sam Warburton crossed over in the opening 40 minutes before he went off with a knee injury. Gareth Anscombe kicked three conversions and a penalty.

Paddy Jackson booted over three conversions and a penalty for Ulster

Anscombe scored the first points of the game with a ninth-minute penalty after Rory Best failed to roll away from a ruck but Ulster hit back two minutes later after Ruan Pienaar's chip through was collected by Jackson who ran in under the posts. He converted his own score to put Ulster 7-3 up.

But the Blues responded with a try after 22 minutes when a series of missed tackles saw skipper Warburton driven over from close range and Anscombe added the extras.

Four minutes later Ulster put a penalty into the corner and from the driving maul referee Ian Davies awarded a penalty try which Jackson again converted to put the home side back in the lead.

The Blues got off the mark just six minutes after the restart when Lee-Lo burst through a gap to touch down under the sticks. Anscombe converted and Cardiff led again 17-14.

Jackson tied the scores with his first penalty on 56 minutes but the Blues hit back four minutes later with Lee-Lo scoring his second which Anscombe converted to take the Blues into a 24-17 lead.

The home side were not finished though and Marshall barrelled through to score after 68 minutes from Jackson's inside pass, with the out-half's conversion bringing Ulster level again.

And despite a frantic finish from the home side, with Charles Piutau nearly getting away after a break-out, they could not add any more points and had to be content with the draw.