They put in a tremendous performance during the first half and fully deserved their 8-6 lead at the interval.

David Pollock, Ryan Caldwell and Matt McCullough were exceptional in the loose but there was no support up with the runners and good chances early on went abegging.

There was to be no mistake though in the 10^th minute when pro BJ Botha picked up from a ruck on the Cardiff line and went over for his debut try for Ulster, fullback Clinton Schifcofske missing the conversion.

Wallace hobbled off on 13 minutes, replaced by Rob Dewey and Bryn Cunningham replaced Schifcofske on 21 minutes, with Cardiff Ben's Blair splitting the poles in between to reduce the arrears to 3-5.

O'Connor, now handed the kicking duties, slotted over a penalty in the 22^nd minute to stretch the Ulster lead to 8-3, but he was to miss another six minutes from the break, shortly after Blair had made it 8-6, which would have given the visitors a larger and fully deserved half-time cushion.

O'Connor missed another kickable penalty four minutes into the second half and then Ulster simply went to sleep, but not before Kieron Dawson, who replaced David Pollock, intercepted on his own '22', but just did not have the pace to go all the way.

Ulster's indiscipline was to let them down as they conceded penalty after penalty and Blair missed a golden chance to put the Blues ahead for the first time, his kick denied by the right pole.

But Cardiff got there reward in the 55^th minute when Leigh Halfpenny surged through for a try which Blair converted to make it 13-8.

Andrew Trimble was tackled firmly 10 yards out from the Cardiff line as Ulster sparked into action again on the hour mark.

But from a No 8 pick-up from Robbie Diack, Rob Dewey dropped the ball. However, Ulster continued to press and Isaac Boss raced in for a fine individual try, which was converted by O'Connor to swing them back in front at 15-13.

Amazingly, Ulster gave away another poor penalty on 71 minutes and Blair put the Blues - playing in pink for Cancer Research Wales - were 16-15 ahead.

That penalty was to prove crucial, as it was the last score of the match Ulster pinned back in their own '22' as the clock ticked down.

Blues Team

15. Ben Blair 14. Leigh Halfpenny 13. Jamie Robinson 12. Gareth Thomas 11. Chris Czekaj 10. Nick Robinson 9. Darren Allinson 1. Gethin Jenkins 2. T.Rhys Thomas 3. Gary Powell 4. Bradley Davies 5. Paul Tito 6. Ma'ama Molitika 7. Martyn Williams 8. Mark Lewis

16. John Yapp 17. Gareth Williams 18. Scott Morgan 19. Andy Powell 20. Jason Spice 21. Ceri Sweeney 22. Jamie Roberts

Ulster Rugby Team

15. Clinton Schifcofske 14. Andrew Trimble 13. Darren Cave 12. Paddy Wallace 11. Timoci Nagusa 10. Niall O'Connor 9. Isaac Boss 1. Tom Court 2. Rory Best 3. BJ Botha 4. Ryan Caldwell 5. Ed O'Donoghue 6. Matt McCullough 7. David Pollock 8. Robbie Diack

16. Nigel Brady 17. Justin Fitzpatrick 18. Kieron Dawson 19. Thomas Anderson 20. Cillian Willis 21. Rob Dewey 22. Bryn Cunningham

Match Report by Richard Mulligan, Belfast Newsletter.