Ulster stormed to a well-deserved Pool 3 victory over Welsh kingpins Cardiff, 32-23 at electrically-charged Ravenhill.

Star of the evening was home skipper David Humphreys, who bagged 22 points with five penalties, a dropped goal and conversions of tries by Aussie centre Ryan Constable and Tyrone Howe - the last try coming near the end of an enthralling nip and tuck game.

It was all reminiscent of the not-so-old days two seasons ago when Ulster's odyssey under coach Harry Williams brought them the European Cup crown.

Humphreys, who lifted the cup at Lansdowne Road in 1999, got Ulster off to a flyer with their first intrusion upfield when recycled ball 30 metres out in front of the posts allowed him to slip over a dropped goal.

But with Ulster letting their discipline slip in front of their posts, Neil Jenkins had a simple task of equalising for Cardiff with a straight-forward penalty six minutes later.

Humphreys restored Ulster's lead in the 11th minute, when his Garryowen
caused all sorts of problems in the Cardiff defence, and when they were
penalised at a ruck, the fly-half did the need from close range.

With Ulster forcing the pace and putting Cardiff under pressure, Humphreys was again on the mark with a 35-metre effort to put Ulster 9-3 ahead at the end of the first quarter.

Jenkins pulled back the deficit two minutes later when he rifled over his second penalty after flanker Andy Ward was penalised for walking rather unkindly over scrum-half Rob Howley.

And it was Jenkins who pushed Cardiff into the lead in the 26th minute when after fit-again Wales lock Craig Quinnell had driven at a close-range, Jenkins found space to squeeze over at the posts for the game's first try which he converted himself.

Cardiff were having their best spell of the game with Jenkins dictating play with some rifling kicks into the corners.

But back came Ulster three minutes later. Howe picked up a loose clearance kick by Howley and made ground before centre Ryan Constable gained possession on the Cardiff 22 to skirt around the outside of Gareth Thomas for a cracking try which Humphreys converted.

The Ulster skipper sent Ulster in at the break 19-13 ahead with a simple penalty in front of the posts after more sustained pressure.

Soccer legend George Best, back home within sight of where he was born, was introduced to the 12,000 crowd at half-time, and no doubt held his breath along with them as a Humphreys dropped goal attempt immediately after the restart whizzed past the right-hand upright.

Ulster had most of the early territorial in the second half, but in Cardiff's first sustained bout of pressure, they regained the lead in the 54th minute.

Howley cleverly switched direction and after James Toping went for an intercept with three men to tackle, missed the ball and wing Craig Morgan swooped in for Jenkins to convert.

But almost immediately Humphreys restored Ulster's led with his fourth penalty, only to be matched by a Jenkins effort in the 59th minute to keep his side 23-22 ahead.

After more industrious play by Ulster, they were suitable rewarded when Humphreys banged over his fifth penalty in the 67th minute to nudge his side ahead again at 25-23.

This time Ulster did not let go with a grandstand finish in which Howe grabbed an opportunist try.

A dropped-goal attempt by Humphreys flew across the front of the posts, but Cardiff full-bck Rhys Williams fumbled and Howe was up like a flash to pick-up and dive over with man of the match Humphreys landing the conversion to take his side on to face Saracens in London next week full of confidence.