Ulster head coach Neil Doak says his players will savour the win over Leinster before turning attentions to the Ospreys for the final regular game of the season.
The home side put Leo Cullen’s side to the sword 30-6 at the Kingspan Stadium to consolidate fourth place in the Guinness Pro12 and travel to the Wales on the final day one point clear of the Scarlets for the final play-off position.
The scoreline indicated a big gulf between the sides, but the visitors trailed by just four points at the break after losing Rob Kearney to the sin bin and the concession of a penalty try.
"You think of the euphoria of beating Leinster, but we still have next week"
After the interval Ulster hit Leinster for 20 unanswered points to seal an emphatic win over their rivals.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was disappointed in the decision to sin-bin Kearney, and Luke Fitzgerald in the second half, and Doak admits that his team struggled for periods in the opening half of of the inter-provincial derby.
“Probably in the first half we moved the ball to the outside edges well, but we just didn’t really hold onto it,” he told RTÉ Sport.
“Leinster had a few opportunities, especially in the yellow card period. We gave away three or four penalties in a row, we just couldn’t get a grasp on the game and they got themselves back into it.
“To score 30 points, especially against a side that has defended so well all year, that’s a credit to the players.
“At half-time we just said we’ve got to hold onto the ball and try and be better.”
Man-of-the-match Ruan Pienaar admitted that the game was one of their best in what has been an inconsistent campaign and Doak says that while it is important for the squad to savour a win over such a formidable team, they can’t dwell for too long with a trip to the Liberty Stadium coming up.
Currently in seventh place, the Welsh side could still catch Munster on the final day for a Champions Cup qualification spot, with Anthony Foley’s charges hosting the Scarlets.
“We’ll relish the victory and the matter in how we done it,” he said.
“The boys are pretty happy but it’s one game. We’ve got to quickly move on.
“You’ve got to take stock of the game. You think of the euphoria of beating Leinster, but we still have next week.
“The Ospreys are a quality side, especially at home.”
