ULSTER EMPHATICALLY DISPATCHED the challenge of Leinster in this afternoon’s crucial Pro12 inter-pro but the visitors will look back on Rob Kearney’s yellow card as a defining moment.
There was no doubt that the Ireland international deserved to be sent to the sin-bin for cynically blocking Ruan Pienaar but George Clancy’s decision to award a penalty try seemed harsh.
The referee, with the help of the Television Match Official, eventually came to the conclusion that Kearney’s professional foul deserved to be punished further and he went under the posts, with Paddy Jackson adding the extras.
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The game was delicately poised at that point after a tight opening 17 minutes but the penalty try set Ulster on their way to a comfortable 30-6 win.
Not only was their cover with Dave Kearney coming across and Luke McGrath also on hand, but it was highly unlikely Pienaar was going to get on the end of his kick through.
Leo Cullen will no doubt look back on the decision, although he can have few complaints with his team simply not performing to anything near their usual levels at Ravenhill.
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