Published Saturday, 21 January 2012
Going into what turned out to be a pulsating contest the Ulstermen knew they needed to do something they had never done before, win on French soil.
They came up just short against the highly skilled French side who were defending a 38 game winning sequence at the Stade Marcel Michelin.
A try by their substitute Paulo in the 64th minute effectively sealed the win for Clermont.
A strong home side start to match changed in the 12th minute as Ulster lock Dan Tuohy was sin binned for a technical infringement after a penalty was awarded to the home side.
The referee brandished the yellow card to the Ulster number 5, after a quick tap penalty was taken and Tuohy didn't allow his opponent to play on.
Morgan Parra took the kick from outside the 22 metre line and put it through the post to claim the first three point score of the game.
Ulster who were down to 14 men upped their effort and managed to get down the other end of the field and were able to put pressure on their hosts, pressure that lead to a penalty.
Ruan Pienaar brought the sides level with his kick on 16 minutes, but Clermont took the lead again with another penalty from Parra on 20 minutes.
The visiting fans from Ulster had reason to complain four minutes later when Ian Humphreys was cynically blocked by the French wing after chipping through.
Ulster were growing in confidence but their efforts were in vein after a handling error ten yards out meant a half chance when begging.
Clermont cleared their lines, but a handling error by the French scrum half Parra at the base of the line out meant another turnover for the visitors.
Pienaar missed a penalty from the right hand side and good defence from the French kept the visitors from scoring a try on 30 minutes.
Two minutes later Pienaar made up for his miss to bring the scores level at six points each with another penalty from the right hand side.
Clermont had a pick and go move in the middle of the park that came up against good defence as Ulster were able to clear the trouble.
Another missed penalty from Ulster's Pienaar and a highly speculative drop goal effort from Ulster full back Stefan Terblanche coming up just short meant Ulster could have sneaked a first half lead, but it was not to be.
At the start of the second half there was a quick exchange of penalties moved the scores on to 9-9 before Ulster took the lead for the first time, again a kick from Pienaar was enough.
Tensions were rising when the Welsh internation Lee Byrne got close to the Ulster line.
It was last ditch defending by the visitors as Clermont were camped on the five metre line, however the French side let Ulster off the hook as their number 8 held on to two Ulster players at the breakdown, not letting them get back into the game.
Clermont pressure was too much for Ulster and Paulo scored the only try of the game when he picked up at the base of the breakdown and squirmed his way through.
Ulster were not finished when Pienaar claimed his fifth penalty of the game to get Ulster back to within a point at 16-15.
It was not close enough as an infringement gave Clermont a chance to stretch the lead to four points, which Parra calmly did.
Ulster had a sniff late on, going for a line out to attempt to score the try they needed for victory.
Rory Best's mistake with a crooked throw meant the chance was up and with it the dream of a quarter final at Ravenhill.
Ulster will go through as one of the best runners up.