Celtic Cup Quarter-finals/ Neath-Swansea 23 Ulster 16: Ulster exited the Celtic Cup in Swansea on Saturday as Shane Williams inspired the Neath-Swansea Ospreys to book a place in the semi-finals.
The Wales wing gave a side-stepping masterclass to mesmerise the visitors in a keenly-contested last-eight clash at St Helen's. In the final professional match at the old ground, Williams took the Ospreys clear late on by featuring twice in a breathtaking movement that ended with outhalf Matthew Jones crossing.
Jones himself supplied 18 points in an accomplished display, while Stefan Terblanche scored a first-half try.
Ulster battled gamely and were awarded a penalty try to go with three David Humphreys penalties and a conversion. The Ospreys will play Llanelli Scarlets in the last four next Saturday evening.
Ulster made all the early running, tearing into rucks and mauls and forcing the Ospreys back with a series of powerful charges. But the visitors lacked a cutting edge behind as they wasted a number of good attacking positions.
The Ospreys sprang to life when Terblanche gathered a long pass from Elvis Seveali'i, chipped the ball over the top and outpaced Tyrone Howe to touch down. Matthew Jones converted and added a penalty before Ulster got on the board with a Humphreys penalty.
Three minutes before the break Ulster prop Rod Moore was sent to the sin-bin after knocking the ball out of Williams' hands as the wing tried to take a tapped penalty.
But Ulster did not concede a point while the Australian was sidelined and continued to contest every inch of territory. The quality was not great, however, with both sides making countless errors.
Matthew Jones landed another penalty, but Humphreys replied quickly with a penalty double to cut the deficit to just four points with seven minutes remaining.
But Jones added a penalty and then crossed for his try after dazzling work from Williams, Jason Spice and Terblanche.
Ulster claimed a penalty try, but it was too little, too late.
NEATH-SWANSEA: Durston; Terblanche, A Bishop, Seveali'i, S Williams; M Jones, Spice; James, B Williams, Millward, Cockbain, Thomas, Bater, Pugh, R Jones. Replacements: S Tandy for Pugh (49 mins), D Jones for James (52 mins), D Bishop for A Bishop (57 mins), R Mustoe for Durston, S Connor for M Jones, R Hibbert for Williams, L Bateman for Thomas (all 80 mins).
ULSTER: Cunningham; Bowe, Maggs, Steinmetz, Howe; Humphreys, Campbell; S Best, Shields, Moore, Longwell, McCullough, Ward, Pfister, Wilson. Replacements: C Feather for Pfister (36 mins), R Frost for Longwell (48 mins), A Maxwell for Howe (52 mins), P Wallace for Cunningham (61 mins), N Doak for Campbell (65 mins), R Best for Shields (73 mins), R McCormick for Moore (67 mins).
Referee: Andy Ireland (SRU).
