The move backfired in spectacular fashion as Harris was sent off just two minutes into the second-half after an off-the-ball clash with Aron Gunnarsson.
But the game exploded 10 minutes later when Joel Tomkins and Kirk Yeaman traded blows following an off-the-ball incident.
Smith was also upset by the antics of Lafferty, who clutched his face after the off-the-ball incident with Mulgrew.
McGowan was red carded following an apparent off-the-ball altercation with Manuel Pascali, which occurred in the aftermath of Dayton's injury.
Federico Pucciariello and Matt McCullough were yellow-carded after an off-the-ball clash and Kieron Dawson was sin-binned minutes later as Ulster were reduced to 13 men.
The game was always close to boiling over, and Lukas Podolski went down after an off-the-ball clash with Rene Aufhauser, then went eyeball to eyeball with Emanuel Pogatetz.
The half was marred by a big fight involving both sets of players after an off-the-ball incident which saw Lupton and Rovers' Ben Cockayne warned by referee Robert Hicks.
Wasps centre Steve Kefu had just fired a kick directly into touch when Robson became embroiled in an off-the-ball scuffle and aimed a head-butt at Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson.
However, almost immediately Cavan midfielder Mark McKeever received a straight red card after an off-the-ball incident and Down used their man advantage to reply with three quick scores to level.
Brown's 66th-minute dismissal for an off-the-ball clash with Rangers' Kyle Lafferty was the main flashpoint in an absorbing contest that featured an injury-time winner by the Ibrox side's Maurice Edu.
After weeks without rugby, Thomas may want to forget an embarrassing moment against Munster on Saturday evening at Rodney Parade, when an off-the-ball tug on Donnacha Ryan cost Dragons scrum-half Wayne Evans a try.
Both Zidane and Marco Materazzi found the net in the 2006 final in Germany between France and Italy, but it was the pair's off-the-ball clash deep into extra time that became the tournament's defining moment.
Midway through the first half Davis was booked for a foul on Andrej Komac and referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez had his yellow card out soon afterwards to caution Lafferty and Bostjan Cesar after an off-the-ball incident at a free-kick.
But it seems ever more possible that the country will drop the off-field ball.
Albert Watson headed in from a Philip Carson free-kick on 36 minutes but O'Neill was sent-off for an off-the-ball clash with Eamon Doherty after 42.
Katich - whose innings of 34 came from 140 balls - drove one delivery confidently over mid-off for four but was sucked into pushing at a top-spinner outside off-stump next ball.
He picked up two quick boundaries, both off Kallis, but then attempted something a bit too inventive off the same bowler - trying to play a ball outside off-stump through the on-side.
Stephen Jones' kick-off epitomised the Scarlets' season thus far - off kilter as the ball ran dead, bringing a scrum on half-way at which the Wales fly-half must have been relieved to see a free kick awarded against Ulster.
Finally an opening of sorts arrived for Australia, but the hard-working Hilfenhaus had Strauss dropped by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off a no-ball, and two balls later the England captain scampered a couple of runs to bring up his half-century.
But it was the briefest of honeymoons for Cook, lasting only until the last ball of the eighth over, when he played a half-hearted force off the back foot to a ball well wide of off-stump - and to the delight of the bowler Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey dived expertly in the gully to take a fine one-handed catch.
The introduction of Batty midway through the session worked instantly, the off-spinner striking third-ball when Alok Kapali suffered a judgement haemorrhage and was bowled offering no shot.
BBC: SPORT | Cricket | Ban v Eng 2003 | England take control
Portugal, semi-finalists in Germany four years ago, had Ricardo Costa sent off for an off-the-ball clash with Joan Capdevila before the end but by then their fate already looked sealed.
Rogers, caught off a no-ball on 154, went on to his fifth double century.
Derry were then reduced to 10 men when Gary Beckett was sent off following an off-the-ball incident in the 80th minute.
Vaughan was bowled off a no-ball and managed only a single in his 15 minutes at the crease before edging Billy Taylor to the keeper.
BBC: SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Vaughan fails but Tykes recover
There was more drama for the bumper 1, 425 crowd to witness when Bath midfielder Mark Badman and Chelmsford's Ricky Modeste were both dismissed following an off-the-ball clash nine minutes from time.
Ankiel was credited with a ground-rule double leading off the seventh on a ball down the third-base line that appeared to glance off an usher's leg before hitting a railing.
Kevin Pietersen hit one booming straight six off Bravo but lobbed a catch to mid-on off the next ball, and the first partnership of note came when Bopara and Shah added 53.
However, runs were not easy to come by for obdurate left-handers Katich and Hussey, given that all but one of the fielders were placed on the off-side and seamers Ishant Sharma and Zaheer made the batsmen reach for the ball wide of the off-stump.
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