Ulster lags see off ragged Dragons

Ulster 37, Dragons 18

It was far from impressive by a weakened Ulster side who will have to get used to playing without their big names in the following weeks. Once again their line-outs were ragged and they continually failed to clear out the rucks which allowed the Welsh visitors to continually mess them about.

But at least they had enough in their locker to see off their visitors, who for a period looked to be coming into the game when they camped on the Ulster line for 15 minutes in the second half, but left unrewarded despite Ulster having prop Bryan Young yellow-carded for collapsing a five-metre scrum.

But the biggest cheer of the night came when Tyrone Howe burst through for the fourth and final try of the game in the 77th minute to give Ulster their first bonus point of the competition.

It was Adam Larkin who was the star for Ulster. Playing at fly-half in the absence of David Humphreys and Paddy Wallace, he controlled the game. He made one try and converted Ulster’s four tries as well as landing three penalties.

After Larkin had landed a brace of penalties and Craig Warlow responded for the Dragons, it was skipper Andy Ward who bagged his third try in as many games following a sweeping movement up field which helped Ulster to a 13-6 half-time advantage.

Warlow had added a dropped goal for the Dragons, but Larkin’s third penalty and his conversion of Tony McWhirter’s try looked to have put Ulster in the driving seat.

Poor defence allowed Gerald Arasa to steal a try for the visitors before Ryan Constable swept in for try number three, and then Howe’s efforts ensured Ulster would take the full five points.

Dragons, though, had the last say when another break away saw replacement scrum-half Gareth Baber dive in at the corner.

Ulster, though, will have to improve if they are to see off Leinster next Friday in the quarter-finals of the Celtic Cup.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; Young, Constable, Stewart, Howe; Larkin, Campbell; McCormack, Sexton, Young, Mustchin, Frost, McWhirter, Ward (capt), Wilson.

Replacements: P Shields for Sexton (40), S Shawe, M McCullough for Frost (52), N Best for McWhirter (79), R Spee for Campbell (76), E Mallon for Stewart (70).

DRAGONS: B Breeze; G Arasa, N Brew, A Marinos (capt), K James; C Warlow, R Jones; A Black, S Jones, C Anthony, I Gough, P Sidoli, R Oakley, J Forster, S Van Rensburg.

Replacements: D Pattison for Black (40), J Ringer for Oakley (36), S Winn for Marinos (11), B Hayward, G Baber for Jones (76).

Referee: Andrew Ireland (SRU).