Ulster Coach Murphy Expresses Disappointment and Pride After 14-Man Defeat

Head coach Richie Murphy stated he was “bitterly disappointed” as Munster secured a victory with a last-gasp try, inflicting a fifth consecutive defeat on 14-man Ulster. Ulster initially took the lead through prop Tom O’Toole, who was subsequently shown a red card after Farrell scored the first of his three tries. Farrell scored again after the restart, but Harry Sheridan responded with a try for the reduced Ulster side. However, after Shane Daly and James McNabney exchanged tries, Farrell delivered the decisive score with the final play, giving Munster a 22-19 win in Belfast. “I thought we found a way of getting back into the game. I’m incredibly proud of the lads’ commitment and performance, but we just need to be better in the really big moments,” said the Ulster coach. After O’Toole scored the opening try, the prop was sent off by referee Ben Whitehouse, who determined he had fallen on the leg of centre Alex Nankivell at a ruck approximately 10 minutes before half-time. Murphy described the call as “tough” but expressed satisfaction with his side’s response. He added, “Obviously the red card is a big moment in the game. It’s a tough red card because he is through the gate and makes contact square on. He’s not through the side, but as he falls backwards his leg comes out and Tom falls on it. I can kind of understand that, but it is difficult because it’s not an illegal act at the start.” Murphy also questioned Whitehouse’s decision not to award a yellow card midway through the second half when prop Scott Wilson made a 40-metre break and the visitors infringed on their own line. “He runs 40 metres, we get to the line and they give away a penalty. I’m not sure how that’s not a yellow card and then the game would change.” In a further setback for Murphy, centre Stuart McCloskey and wing Zac Ward were forced off in the first half, and flanker McNabney sustained an injury during the build-up to Farrell’s match-winning score. This led to a reshuffle across the backline, which Murphy characterized as a “bit of a mess” as Ulster dealt with the injuries and O’Toole’s red card. Ulster was already without several senior backs due to injury, including Jacob Stockdale, Nathan Doak, Stewart Moore, and Ben Moxham. Murphy added, “We had two academy backs on the bench. Stuart McCloskey, where will he be next week? I’m not sure he’ll be playing as he came off with a hamstring injury. Zac Ward rolled his ankle. We don’t actually have any more senior backs. We’ll see what the return will be like for next week but there’s not lads queuing to get back on the pitch, let’s put it that way. We’ll probably be going into the academy again or maybe even club land.”