Guinness PRO12: Cardiff Blues 23-13 Ulster
Sunday 28 February 2016 16:59, UK
Cardiff scored two late tries to snatch a 23-13 victory over Ulster at the Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday.
Paddy Jackson and Rhys Patchell traded penalties in an error-filled first half before a 45th-minute try from Craig Gilroy gave the away side a ten-point lead.
However, Cardiff fought back through a further Patchell penalty before two quick-fire tries from Patchell and Aled Summerhill snatched the victory for the Welsh side.
Ulster suffered a blow after just six minutes when Luke Marshall left the field with injury and the loss looked to be compounded by Rhys Patchell when he had the chance to open the scoring moments later, but the ball sailed wide of the posts.
His opposite number Paddy Jackson had the same luck with his long-range attempt moments later, leaving the game scoreless in the opening quarter.
It was the boot of Jackson that got the scoreboard rolling after a period of patient play from Ulster that followed Nick Williams bursting up the line in the build-up.
Superb work on the floor from Peter Browne then forced the turnover for Ulster, allowing Jackson to slot a further three points before Patchell cancelled out the effort with a penalty at the end of the first half.
Patchell levelled the scores up with a long-range effort shortly after the break before Ulster responded with the first try of the match on 45 minutes when Sam Arnold broke through the Cardiff defence and drew the full-back before supplying Gilroy with the try-scoring pass.
Cardiff went close at the end of the third quarter when Patchell created the space for Dan Fish out wide, with a superb last-ditch tackle by his opposite number Stuart Olding denying the full-back.
After a period of sustained pressure on the Ulster line Cardiff reduced their opponents' lead to four points through Patchell, whose attempt looked almost certain to be cancelled out moments later but Jackson pushed the kickable penalty wide.
Patchell missed a penalty of his own on 69 minutes, however the fly-half soon made amends for his failed attempt when he crossed for a try in the 73rd minute, after a powerful break from man-of-the-match Reynold Lee-Lo, sending the Blues into the lead for the first time.
The try sparked Cardiff's attacking play into life, their deft offloads getting behind the Ulster defence on numerous occasions before Summerhill raced over in the corner unopposed to seal the victory for the home side, denying Ulster the bonus point in the process.
