Ulster’s season ended with a whimper, once again, as they went down 30 – 18 to Leinster at the RDS on Friday night. 

Leinster raced into a 13 point lead, through an Isa Nacewa try, two Johnny Sexton penalties and a conversion, before Ulster pulled it back to 13 – 11 at the break, a Craig Gilroy try boosting two earlier penalties from Paddy Jackson. 

The hosts pulled away in the second half with tries from Jamie Heaslip and Sean Cronin before Gilroy crossed for his second of the night. 

I’d predicted an Ulster win, with Leinster having a big first quarter to take a lead into the break, and for much of the first half it appeared that the match was going that way, as Leinster raced to their 13 point lead in a ferocious opening quarter.  

However a penalty from a scrum settled the Ulster pack and the visitors worked their way back into the match to dominate the second quarter, Jackson landing two pens before Gilroy crossed in the corner on the 39th minute to take the half time score to 13 – 11. 

All appeared well set for me to be appointed the predictor of predictors, or so I thought. This was/is a poor Leinster side, getting results on past glories in the poorest quality PRO12 season ever, and all Ulster had to do was hold their nerve and maintain their competitiveness at the breakdown to take this game. 

Despite dominating the opening minutes of the second half, in terms of territory and possession, Ulster played with such a lack of composure that they opened a big door to invite Leinster in for the win! 

Leinster may lack the class of previous seasons but they didn’t need to be much above competent to come racing through that opening and a converted try from Heaslip, followed by a Sexton penalty, had the game won by the 57th minute. Replacement, Cronin wrapped it up with another converted try on the 65th minute before Gilroy responded in kind with his second score of the night five minutes later. 

Even then, with Ulster back in the ascendancy, they continued to frustrate, bumbling and fumbling over line-out calls as the clock ticked down. This was perhaps the most disappointing part of their performance.

There have been calls for new props or a big old feck-off forward to turn this team around but that’s not what is needed – though in fairness I have called for them myself over the years – no, what this team needs is the confidence to back themselves and turn the screw, as Leinster and Munster have shown us over the years!  I thought we were getting there, but alas not yet, the only player doing this at the minute is Henderson. 

Ulster: Jarred Payne, Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy, Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienar, Callum Black, Rory Best, Ricky Lutton, Pete Browne, Franco vd Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy. Replacements: Rob Herring, Kyle McCall, Andrew Warwick, Robbie Diack, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave. 

Well that’s Ulster for another season apart from our season review which we’ll publish on Monday.