Ulster Under 20s completed the league phase of this years Inter-provincial championship by finishing top of the table with three wins out of three following last nights 20-19 victory over Munster at Ravenhill. However Ulster left it late with wing Chris Cochrane scoring with the last move of the match and the impressive Harry McAleese stepped up and duly converted from mid way out to give Ulster victory by 20-19.

Munster came into the game knowing that they had to beat Ulster and get a try bonus point to have any chance of making the final next week and they made the more determined start scoring a converted try after 10 minutes following some good back play. Ulster responded well but were finding the larger Munster pack difficult to handle but got some reward when Jamie Smith dropped a goal after 18 minutes. Munster responded almost immediately with another converted try and Ulster were very much on the back foot. Just before half time, Ulster managed good field position but had to settle for a Harry McAleese penalty to leave the Munster leading 14-6 at half-time.

Ulster started the second half strongly with the forwards, under pressure for so much of the first half, putting the Munster pack under pressure. After 48 minutes, a series of forward drives took play into the Munster 22 and some sharp passing by the Ulster backs saw Chris Cochrane finding space on the left wing to score in the corner. McAleese converted to leave Ulster trailing by a point. Ulster continued to pressurise with the Ulster scrum now dominating but could not break down a determined Munster defence. Munster, in a rare visit to the Ulster half scored their third try after 60 minutes to extend their lead to 19-13. 
 
However, from then on it was the Ulster pack who dictated affairs and kept Munster penned inside their own half. With time nearly up Ulster laid siege to the Munster goal line but a sequence of more than a dozen rucks and mauls failed to produce a try. Munster looked to have cleared the danger with a kick out but a great run from Jamie Smith took play back into the Munster 22. A series of forward drives sucked in the defence and when the ball was released, Chris Cochrane was put clear to score mid way out to leave Ulster one point behind. McAleese kept his nerve and converted to give Ulster the victory 20-19.
 
A relieved manager John Mckibbin was delighted with the character and commitment displayed by the Ulster team. “The players never gave up and fought literally to the last second to get that victory. They were determined from the start that they were not going to lose and kept working until they achieved it.”

This now assures Ulster a place in the championship final decider next week in Athlone where their opponents will depend on the outcome of the Leinster and Connaught match.

ULSTER TEAM

15: Tommy Seymour, 14: Stuart Lester, 13: Jamie Smith, 12: Andy Moore 11: Chris Cochrane, 10: Harry McAleese, 9: Michael Wilson, (Ian Porter 60 min and Will Martin 78 min) 1: Paul Karayiannis, 2: Stephen Douglas (Colm Heaney 75 min), 3: Mathew Nelson, 4: Patrick McGowan, 5: Alistair Birch (David Bradford 60 min), 6: Neil Alcorn (Matt Burke 70 min) 7: Michael Entwhistle, 8: James Elliott