Ulster 29

Exeter 12

Ciarán Donaghy reports from Affidea Stadium

ULSTER SECURED THEIR place in the European Challenge Cup final with a comfortable victory over the Exeter Chiefs at Ravenhill.

Richie Murphy’s men outscored the English Premiership side by four tries to two and are only 80m minutes away from ending their 20-year wait for a trophy.

After the early sparring, it was Ulster that had the first opportunity to put points on the board but scrum half Nathan Doak’s long-range penalty went wide on 10 minutes.

Ulster’s celebrations five minutes later were cut short by the TMO: fullback Mike Lowry darted over from close range after a series of phases on the Exeter line, but his try was disallowed for a neck-roll by Cormac Iwuchukwu in the build-up.

Exeter’s first opportunity came in the 20th minute. The pack forced a penalty at the scrum but centre Henry Slade was off target from the kicking tee.

Ulster finally gave the home crowd something to cheer on 27 minutes as number eight Juarno Augustus crashed over from close range after Ulster took a quick-tap penalty and worked the ball patiently through a number of phases on the Chiefs line.

The lead was shorted-lived as, three minutes later, Ireland winger Jacob Stockdale got 10 minutes in the sin bin for a dangerous tackle on Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and Exeter made their numerical advantage count immediately: their own number eight, Ross Vintcent, powered over from metres out and Slade added the conversion.

Ulster went into the interval with a 10-7 lead as Doak landed a penalty with the final kick of the first half.

Ulster then extended the gap seven minutes after the restart with Jack Murphy dotting down in the corner following a sweeping cross-field move. Doak converted from the touchline.

A now-rampant Ulster added a fourth try when hooker Tom Stewart was propelled over from a driving maul on 65 minutes.

Chiefs full back Ben Hammersley was yellow-carded on 73 minutes but it was the visitors who had the final say with winger Christopher Ridl going over in the corner with the final play of the game for an unconverted consolation try.

Ulster: M Lowry, Z Ward, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, T Stewart, T O’Toole, I Henderson (c), C Izuchukwu, D McCann, N Timoney, J Augustus

Replacements: J McCormick for Stewart 69 mins, E O’Sullivan for Crean 63 mins, T McAllister for O’Toole 68 mins, C Irvine for Henderson 63 mins, B Ward for Augutus 63 mins, C McKee for McCloskey 71 mins, J Flannery for Murphy 68 mins, E McIlroy for Stockdale 41 mins

Exeter Chiefs: B Hammersley, C Ridl, H Slade, L Ikitau, I Feyi-Waboso, H Skinner, S Varney; S Sio, M Norey, B Tchumbadze; D Jenkins (c), A Zambonin; T Hooper, C Tshiunza, R Vintcent

Replacements: J Dweba for Norey 53 mins, E Burger for Sio 53 mins, J Iosefa-Scott for Tchumbadze 53 mins , R Tuima for Zambonin 63 mins, F Worley-Brady, T Cairns, W Haydon-Wood for Feyi-Waboso 30 mins, N Lilley.

Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra).