Leinster hit six tries in United Rugby Championship quarter-final as Ulster's season is ended at the Aviva Stadium

It was the ninth time in 13 years that Leinster have beaten Ulster in a knock-out tie.

After initial Leinster pressure, Ulster settled into the game and were nearly rewarded on 10 minutes after a couple of big carries in the opposition 22 saw Nick Timoney going over but the try wasn’t given as there was no clear grounding.

Ulster suffered a big blow as the impressive Cormac Izuchukwu had to leave the pitch injured on 17 minutes.

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy watched his side lose to Leinster in the quarter-final of the United Rugby Championship

Leinster sprung into life at the end of the first quarter as Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw got the first try of the game on 20 minutes.

Jamison Gibson-Park fielded an aimless kick and started a counter attack, Tadgh Furlong put Jamie Osborne through a gap, the centre took advantage of the slow Ulster rush defence to carry into the 22 and he popped the ball to his midfield partner to go over, with out-half Ross Byrne adding the conversion.

Byrne extended Leinster’s lead on 30 minutes with a simple penalty from in front of the posts after he shipped a high tackle from Will Addison.

Leinster cut Ulster open again on 33 minutes as Ireland winger James Lowe got the home side’s second try. The forwards punched holes in the Ulster defence before the ball was moved across pitch, Henshaw hit Lowe on the crash ball and the winger had the speed and power to hold off Harry Sheridan and touch down, Byrne converted.

Ulster finished the half strongly but couldn’t penetrate the Leinster defence, Greg Jones knocked on going over the try line and Rob Herring missed his jumper from a five-metre line-out, allowing the home side to kick it into touch and go to the interval with a 17-0 lead.

John Cooney registered Ulster’s first points two minutes after the restart with a penalty from in front of the posts.

However, James Lowe got his side’s third try with a superb piece of footballing skill on 46 minutes. Playing with an advantage, Byrne put in a cross-field kick for the winger, it was too far in front of Lowe but he kept the ball from going out with deft control with his foot, he then put in a perfectly weighted kick and raced onto it to touch down for an unconverted try.

Ulster got back into the game with a David McCann try three minutes later. Cooney won a penalty and Ulster went to touch, the maul was held up, Herring broke off, the scrum half flung it wide for McCann to go over unopposed, but the conversion was missed.

Jordan Larmour went over for Leinster’s fourth try after a mistake in the Ulster defence created space out wide for the winger to go over with Byrne converting.

Ulster responded immediately as Stewart Moore profited from hesitation in the home defence to gather a kick and get over the line, with Cooney converting.

Any hopes of an Ulster come back was extinguished on 68 minutes as Byrne and Osborne produced slick passes to put Josh van der Flier over in the corner with Byrne converting.

Replacement lock Ross Moloney added a sixth try for Leinster powering over from close range on 76 minutes with Sam Pendergast converting.

Mike Lowry scored a late consolation try for Ulster.

Leinster: J O’Brien; J Larmour, R Henshaw, J Osborne, J Lowe; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris.

Replacements: R Kelleher for Sheehan 54 mins, C Healy for Porter 65 minutes, M Ala’alatoa for Furlong 43 mins, R Molony for Ryan 65 mins , M Deegan for Doris 70 mins, L McGrath for Gibson-Park 63 mins, S Prendergast for Byrne 69 mins, C Frawley for Lowe 63 mins.

Ulster: S Moore; M Lowry, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; H Sheridan, C Izuchukwu; M Rea, D McCann, N Timoney.

Replacements:

T Stewart for Herring 70 mins, A Warwick for O’Sullivan 48 mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 72 mins, G Jones for Izuchukwu 17 mins, D Ewers for Rea 65 mins, N Doak for Burns 56 mins, E McIlroy for Stockdale 47 mins, J Postlethwaite for Addison 63 mins

Referee: A Brace (IRFU).