Leinster earn 24-21 victory over Ulster in pre-season friendly

Leinster fought back from 14-5 down at half-time to beat Ulster 24-21 in Friday's pre-season friendly

Paul Marshall and Luke Marshall scored Ulster's first-half tries after Adam Byrne's early score had put Leinster ahead at Kingspan Stadium.

After both team made several half-time changes, tries from Ireland World Cup hopeful Jack Conan, Dan Leavy and Bryan Byrne helped Leinster move 24-14 ahead.

Sam Arnold's injury-time Ulster try came in the final play of the match.

The friendly saw Ireland's World Cup squad contenders Darren Cave and Craig Gilroy start for Ulster with another Ireland hopeful Dan Tuohy getting a run in the second half.

Byrne scored Leinster's first try in the fifth minute after a floated Luke McGrath pass but Paul Marshall replied for Ulster after his own tap on the half hour with Luke Marshall quickly adding another touchdown after producing impressive acceleration.

With Ian Humphreys converting both tries, Ulster led by nine points at the break but Leinster appeared to fare better from the raft of half-time changes with replacements Conan and Leavy notching quick tries.

Bryan Byrne's close-range finish put further daylight between his teams with Isa Nacewa slotting his second successful conversion of the event to increase Leinster's lead to 10 points.

Ulster did produce some late pressure but their reply didn't come until injury-time as Arnold notched the consolation score which was converted by new signing, Australian, Sam Windsor.

Neil Doak's Ulster side face Edinburgh away in another friendly next Friday before their Pro12 campaign opens with a home game against the Ospreys on 4 September.

Ulster: J Owens; C Gilroy, D Cave, L Marshall, P Nelson; I Humphreys, P Marshall; R Murphy, R Herring, W Herbst; P Browne, F Van der Merwe; C Ross, S Reidy, R Diack. Replacements: A Warwick, J Andrew, R Lutton, B Ross, A O'Connor, D Tuohy, C Joyce, F Taggart, W Faloon, S Mullholland, P Rowley, D Shanahan, S Windsor, J Stockdale, S McCloskey, S Arnold, L Ludik, M Best.