Ulster kept their own hopes of Celtic League glory alive and ended those of Cardiff Blues with a 26-17 victory at Ravenhill.

Fly-half David Humphreys was once again the star for Ulster, kicking 16 points to ensure his side leap-frogged Leinster at the top of the table although their Irish rivals will have the chance to reverse the placings once again when they travel to Glasgow on Sunday.

In a must-win game for both title-challenging sides, it was the hosts who extended their winning run in all competitions to seven games and in doing so brought an end to The Blues’ own six-game winning streak.

It was the visitors however who took the early initiative with fulback Nick Macleod slotting three early penalties before the Ulster, playing their first game in three weeks, finally found their stride.

Mark McCall’s side battled their way back into the game courtesy of a penalty try. Ulster scrum-half Isaac Boss charged down an attempted clearance and hacked the ball on but he was taken out by Nick Robinson in the 22 and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty score and sin-binning the Cardiff fly-half outside half before Humphreys added the easy conversion.

A penalty from Humphreys on the halfhour gave his side the lead for the first time in the game but they only held it briefly as another effort from Macleod gave them a narrow advantage once more.

The Blues suffered their second yellow card of the half before the break when John Yapp was sent to the sin-bin.

Humphreys failed with his first penalty attempt of the second period but regained the lead for the hosts a couple of minutes into the second half with another penalty but a try from Jamie Robinson saw the lead change hands yet again.

Marc Stcherbina produced an incisive burst through the Ulster defence before offloading to Robinson who notched the five-pointer, Macleod could not convert.

Humphreys reduced the Cardiff lead to a single point with his third penalty and when Cardiff prop John Yapp was sin-binned soon after Humphreys made the most of the resulting penalty to give Ulster the lead once more.

Ulster were not to be denied at home and a try off following a five metre scrum put them on course for victory.

Boss made a run to the openside before cleverly moving the ball back to No.8 Roger Wilson who crahsed over for the try.

Humphreys converted and almost immediately added his final penalty to cap another superb individual display.