Ulster ease past a weakened Ospreys side
Picture: Dives Try Stockdale Ramsey Score Five Ulster's Sixth His Over To Points In Cardy/sportsfile Bag: Jacob Side's
The scoreline was every bit as emphatic as it seemed, Ulster scorching clear of a badly weakened Ospreys, Jacob Stockdale scoring two of the province’s six tries as they racked up back-to-back bonus point results.
James McCormick also dotted down twice for the home side, his first scores for Ulster, while the hard-working Marcus Rea also took five points, the remainder coming from a first half penalty try.
Indeed, the game as a contest was well over by half-time, Ulster leading 29-7 and already having taken their try bonus, Marcus Rea barging over from close range for that moment on 30 minutes.
Other big performances were put in by Cormac Izuchukwu, Michael Lowry and Tom O’Toole while Aidan Morgan also had a solid outing in a match which was mostly one-way traffic for Richie Murphy's men.
The game was only four minutes when Ulster scored against the considerably weakened Ospreys and it came from the traditional route of the driving maul, James McCormick scoring, John Cooney missing the conversion.
The hosts scored again on nine minutes; a strong carry Cormac Izuchukwu ultimately resulted in Jacob Stockdale stretching his legs down the left wing. Cooney’s conversion again sailed away on the wind.
Try number three was soon at hand. An excellent kick to the corner by Aidan Morgan brought a driving maul, Andrea Piardi awarding a penalty try and showing a yellow card to Kieran Hardy.
From the restart, Stockdale scored a stunning try which Cooney converted only for several minutes later, the seven to be scrubbed out due to a forward pass.
The industrious Izuchukwu’s hack through then nearly resulted in Cooney scoring only for an Ospreys defender to get there first and yet the bonus point had to come and did so two minutes after the half hour.
From a penalty, the hosts picked and jammed their way through, big carries from Harry Sheridan and Izuchukwu battering forward before Marcus Rea did the honours with the try. Cooney converted and at 24-0 Ulster looked out of sight.
But with the scoreboard reading 24-0, the Ospreys managed to hit back with their first dangerous attack of the night.
However, the Ospreys finally got things moving and from a penalty most of their backs piled into a maul for Sam Parry to score, Dan Edwards’ conversion ending the half with Ulster leading 24-7.
The northern province came out knowing they needed to score first just to take any sense of momentum away from the visitors.
And though they got to within touching distance of the line, Parry won a jackal to repel the white shirts in the opening exchanges.
But Ulster stayed in the right location and another cornered penalty almost saw Izuchukwu get the ball down before Ulster opted to vary another penalty McCormick tapping, going and scoring his second of the night.
Cooney was again wide, but Ulster now led 29-7 and crucially had got the first points of the new half.
On 56 minutes Harry Sheridan was yellow carded for a high collision which, gave the Ospreys access to the game again, Keelan Giles scoring in the left corner, though Jack Walsh was wide with the conversion.
Then on 64 minutes Stockdale claimed his second after a great attack from Ulster and pass from Lowry though the Ireland winger had to work hard to make the corner. Nathan Doak converted and Ulster now led 36-12 which is how it all ended.
: M Lowry, W Kok, B Carson, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, A Morgan, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, J McCormick, T O’Toole, A O’Connor (capt), H Sheridan, C Izuchukwu, Marcus Rea, D McCann
: T McElroy for McCormick 63mins, C Reid for O’Sullivan 56mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 51mins, K Treadwell for Sheridan 66mins, Matty Rea for McCann 63mins, N Doak for Cooney 56mins, J Humphreys for Morgan 56mins, J Postlethwaite for McCloskey 62mins, Morgan for Lowry 76mins, Sheridan for Izuchukwu 74mins.
: J Walsh, D Kasende, E Boshoff, O Williams, K Giles, D Edwards, K Hardy; G Thomas, S Parry, B Warren, W Greatbanks, L Jones, L Lloyd, J Tipuric, M Morris (capt).
E Lewis for Parry 69mins, G Phillips for Thomas 53mins, M Iowerth-Scott for Warren 53mins, R Thomas for Greatbanks 66mins, D Gemine for Tipuric 74mins, R Morgan-Williams for mins, T Florence for Willliams 56-65mins and for Giles 67mins, M Nagy for Edwards 54mins, Edwards for Walsh 74mins.
: A Piardi (Italy)