Ulster paid the price for small number of errors against Leinster says Dan McFarland
- Published
Leinster can move five points clear of Ulster if they claim maximum points from their two games in hand
Dan McFarland says his Ulster side were made to pay for just a few mistakes in their Pro14 defeat by Leinster.
The reigning champions inflicted a first league defeat of the season onto their provincial rivals with a suffocating second half display in Dublin.
Ulster led 9-5 at half-time having edged an extremely tight opening 40 minutes before Leinster took the game by the scruff of the neck with three second half tries to wrestle back control of Conference A.
"At half-time we had put ourselves into a good position with some smart play and some strong play," said McFarland.
"At the start of the second half we made two errors, giving a penalty away needlessly in our third of the pitch which they scored off.
"Then knocking on when we had the chance to get some possession in their half of the pitch.
"That ended in a period of pressure and a try and that was really the flipping of the game, we were always on the back foot from there."
The loss is Ulster's first in 11 Pro14 outings this season and the province still sit top of their conference, however Leinster are now just five points having played two games fewer.
The two sides will meet again in Belfast, when both sides will be without their contingent of Ireland internationals with the game set to take place during the Six Nations.
Should Leinster collect maximum points from their two games-in-hand, they would hold a five-point advantage over their provincial rivals going into the final stretch of fixtures.
With only one side from each conference advancing in the shortened season, Friday's game in Dublin was deemed as arguably the most pivotal fixture of this season's competition to date.
"We came down here with a side that we thought would put in a really good performance and for a lot of game, well certainly for the first half, we did," said McFarland.
"There was a huge amount of effort that was put into that both in terms of the preparation and in terms of the physical effort.
"Ultimately if you're not closer to error-free football here at Leinster they're going to make you pay and they did."