Dragons 0
Ulster 12
Steffan Thomas reports at Rodney Parade
DAN MCFARLAND’S SIDE were dominant throughout this contest, with their pack of forwards winning the collisions throughout. Scrum-half Nathan Doak was the star man with his tactical kicking, and game management playing a crucial part in ensuring Ulster left south Wales with four points in the bag.
The swirling wind and rain turned meant both sides made plenty of handling errors, but Ulster’s power up-front meant they held the upper hand. Dean Ryan’s side were able to apply some pressure early doors, but Ulster’s defence held firm.
The visitors thought they had scored when Doak crossed the line, but the television match official concluded that Sam Davies’ hand was underneath the ball. By now Ulster’s pack were in the ascendancy, and the made their hosts pay at the stroke of half time.
James Hume exploited a dog legged Dragons defence to race into their 22 before sending Doak charging towards the line. The number nine was brough down by Josh Lewis, but the ball was quickly recycled for Marcus Rea to touch down for their opening try which gave the visitors a narrow 5-0 lead at the interval.
After the break Ulster’s pack continued to dominate with their scrum pushing the Dragons backwards at a rate of knots.
Ben Moxham crossed at the corner, but his foot was in touch. However, they didn’t have to wait long until they were celebrating a try for real as John Andrew powered his way over the line courtesy of a well-worked driving lineout. Doak added the extras with a sensational touchline conversion into the swirling wind.
To their credit the Dragons refused to throw in the towel, enjoyed a period of pressure with No 8 Dan Baker making headway with his carries. But they lacked a cutting edge behind the scrum, while out-half Davies also missed a penalty from right in front of the posts.
The Dragons huffed and puffed but couldn’t get enough go forward to make any real dents in the Ulster defence. Billy Burns was extremely effective in the final quarter of the game with his tactical kicking ensuring Ulster stayed in control of proceedings.
Things got a lot more difficult for the Dragons when replacement prop Mesake Doge received a yellow card for a reckless shoulder charge. Ian Madigan’s late penalty from the halfway line hit the posts, but it didn’t matter as the victory was already in Ulster’s bag.
Dragons: J Lewis; J Holmes (W Talbot-Davies 65), A Warren, A Owen, R Dyer; S Davies, G Bertranou (R Williams 49); G Bateman (A Seiuli 57), T Davies (E Dee 49), C Coleman (M Doge 49), J Davies (H Taylor 33), J Maksymiw, H Keddie, O Griffiths, D Baker (G Young 72).
Replacements not used: I Davies,
Ulster: R Lyttle, R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey (S Moore 74), B Moxham; B Burns (I Madigan 70), N Doak; A Warwick (E O’Sullivan 50), J Andrew (B Roberts 50), T O’Toole (M Moore 48), K Treadwell, S Carter (C Izuchukwu 60), D McCann (M Rea 60), M Rea, N Timoney.
Replacements not used: D Shanahan,
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Ulster scorers
Tries: M Rea 39, J Andrew 46
Conversions: N Doak 48
Penalties:
Attendance: 3,892
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If the truth was known, I’d say nearly all counties are back training. Dubs and Monaghan unlucky to be caught out.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: I play for galway and we are not back
@Lorrimore: Ah Joe he did say nearly.
@Lorrimore: not a gone for a run with a team mate or two?
@Lorrimore: hard to imagine a couple of lads wouldn’t be going for runs together etc – wouldn’t be human if weren’t doing that
@BMJF: even the dogs go round in pairs in Galway.
Suspending managers means nutin. Players involved need suspension. It’s a farce. Managers will still do exactly wat the did before ban. A token suspension to appease the masses.
@Martin Glynn: Training restart date for offending counties should start a month later than counties who obeyed the rules,
@Martin Glynn: I agree, but it has to be tv rights as the reason why you don’t ban the players, the rules are there from a GAA point of view( never mind legal)so they all should be banned as well as the other county teams who done the same
@Martin Glynn: if you suspend all players who broke Covid rules you won’t have a league this year !!!
@Oliver Curley: which ones obeyed the rules?? Are you sure of which ones did? I wager very few if any have stuck to individual training or lads haven’t run further than 5km – it’s easy to criticise
@Oliver Curley: which ones obeyed the rules?? Are you sure of which ones did? I wager very few if any have stuck to individual training or lads haven’t run further than 5km
What is it about the GAA and the need to prove you are are a cute hoor when it comes to getting around the rules. Its almost like a badge of honor.
@Enda Flaherty: there are plenty of cute hoors in the GAA. If there is a rule set, some people love to able to say “We didn’t go by that rule”. Stricter punishment is needed for counties that break the rules. 12 week ban for the manager is no punishment really. Fine for the county board is the way to have it.
I’ve no doubt they’re all back in some capacity. However a 12 week ban for the bainisteoir is no punishment at all.
12 week ban should start from when training starts officially !
All counties now have a loophole(cleverly supplied by Dublin). Take a chance and if we’re caught we can suspend the manager, as that will have no impact whatsoever. Players and other team officials carry on without sanction, and manager will be back for the league. The suspension of the manager creates the impression that the powers that be are treating the matter very seriously. They must think we are all idiots. Do they really expect us to believe that the manager organized these sessions covertly and that the county board officers were unaware they were happening.
@Leonard O’mahony: supplied by the GAA last year when they banned Cork and Down manager for 12 weeks respectively one was reduced to 8 on appeal.
@Leonard O’mahony: and does anyone think that most counties haven’t been doing a bit?
Should have trained in Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi or any of the other retail majors. Socially distanced & outside!!! What we’re they thinking.l? Seriously, we’ve lost the plot at this stage, we haven’t a clue what our targets are or what’s even attainable. They’re in trouble due to breaking draconian, non-sensical, effing id!otic regulations
12 weeks is a joke, it has no impact.
Copy and paste job!
Trying to understand what’s meant by “serious error of judgement”.
As if the defence of reasonable mistake could be made, “I’m sorry, I misunderstood, mea culpa”?
What judgement was required to be made?
It was a deliberate decision taken to flout a rule that is very clear and unambiguous, impossible to misinterpret.
It couldn’t even happen to a bishop.
Simple really. County boards could be asked to disclose players travelling expenses, mileage etc. There’s many sponsored cars parked up at gyms across the country.
Once a clown,
Full head the ball that lad
Monaghan players are probably delighted they wont know themselves kicking the forward instead of backwards very negative manager
@john malonoy: kicking forwards is quite a negative tactic tbf
@john malonoy: kicking the ball forward i meant
@Cian Nolan: it’s a good tactic for a full back
What kind of society has Ireland become. Blaming teams who are training outdoors with pretty much zero risk but no blame to those making idiotic rules stopping people exercising outdoors.
No wonder Holohan is gone into hiding. NPHET said follow the science for the last year. Now when the science doesn’t suit their agenda, they say u can’t follow that science! Laughable.
@James Quinn: Holohan’s wife has passed away he’s on leave. Be better.
@James Quinn: tasteless comment regarding Holohan. Disgusting.
@James Quinn: do the honourable thing and withdraw that disgraceful comment about Holohan.
@Bruce Lee: I surely won’t apologise. He caused the deaths of over 1000 nursing home patients by moving untested patients from hospitals to nursing homes and then didn’t carry out 1 covid test for 3 weeks in the homes at the height of the virus from the end of March to the middle of April allowing to virus to spread like wildfire. He knew long before the virus came here that it affected the elderly but he done nothing about it.
The man is despicable as his behaviour recently showed when he wouldn’t apologise for the cervical scandal a few years ago. How u can defend him is beyond me.
@Paul Lee: Please elaborate there Paul. Have u been under a rock for the last few years an not witnessed Holohans behaviour? Ask Vicky Phelan and plenty more who are still alive what they think of Holohan. As u say, his behaviour surely was disgusting and no remorse for his actions.
Just ban counties who break the rules from this year’s championship,that’ll soften their cough.
Not good enough.
Suggest Government should delay opening senior GAA for 2-3 weeks.
Allow kids to participate.
BRAINLESS…& WE still CANT PLAY golf. Wake up Mehole & co.
But of course…it’s the Vote gaining GAA again. Wolfe ruined it for Golfers GAA get away with it.
No wonder is wasn’t classed as an elite sport. So much disrespect shown to guidelines and rules. Did anyone expect anything less from the GAA, players need punishing, not the management.
Not to mention character references being provided for r@pists- spouting rubbish that it’s not on the club/org behalf yet the author making a huge deal about the gaa connections & the org response is concern it might negatively impact them as opposed to a victim/survivor- toxic to the last
Should have trained in Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi or any of the other retail majors. Socially distanced & outside!!! What we’re they thinking.l? Seriously, we’ve lost the plot at this stage, we haven’t a clue what our targets are or what’s even attainable. They’re in trouble due to breaking draconian, non-sensical, effing idiotic regulations
It was just banty.
These inter county managers are on huge salaries. Will they continue to be paid while they are not working?
Cut funding to the county.