Five-star Ulster stretch home run with win over Glasgow Warriors

Dan McFarland’s side had their bonus point secured by half-time and have stretched their unbeaten home run to 23 games.

The 40-15 win moves Ulster within two points of leaders Leinster at the top of Conference A and they have a 14-point cushion over the third-placed Ospreys.

It was the visitors that opened the scoring after four minutes.

Ulster conceded a penalty which Glasgow kicked to touch, they secured the ball from the lineout and worked it through a number of phases before winger Niko Matawalu hit the line at pace to carry into the Ulster 22.

The Fijian winger’s pass didn’t go to hand but centre Stafford McDowall was able to rescue the ball and keep the move alive, the forwards rumbled close to the line before Samoan No8 TJ Ioane powered over with out half Peter Horne converting.

Ulster replied on 11 minutes, the home side were awarded a penalty for a high tackle on out half Ian Madigan which they kicked to the corner, captain Sam Carter took the lineout to set up a driving maul and the pack propelled hooker John Andrew across the whitewash.

John Cooney added the conversion.

Horne restored Glasgow’s lead with a 20th minute penalty after Andrew was isolated at the breakdown and punished for not releasing the ball.

Ulster’s second try arrived on 25 minutes - again it came as the result of a driving maul after a penalty was kicked to touch.

Andrew broke off the maul and was stopped close to the line but Cooney hit Marcell Coetzee and there was no stopping the Springbok powerhouse from a few metres out, with the scrum half converting.

Michael Lowry and Andrew made a try-saving tackle to preserve Ulster’s lead.

Carter got Ulster’s third try three minutes before the interval. The lock had been held up over the line moments earlier, the home side were awarded a five metre, Coetzee broke from the base and was stopped before the Wallaby squeezed over, Cooney converted.

Matawalu was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on in first-half injury-time, for an attacking scrum. Madigan had a dart for the line, he was stopped and Cooney was able to snipe over to secure the bonus point and his conversion gave Ulster a 28-10 half-time lead.

Lowry carved opened the Glasgow defence with his pace, he offloaded to Andrew and the hooker popped the ball inside for flanker Sean Reidy to slide over for Ulster’s fifth try on 51 minutes.

Winger Matt Faddes went over four minutes later, Coetzee made a big defensive hit the ball went loose. The Kiwi hacked on twice before gathering to cross the try line with Cooney converting.

Lowry was sin binned for a yellow card on 59 minutes, Glasgow kicked to the corner and hooker Grant Stewart rumbled over from the maul for an unconverted try.

Ulster: M Lowry, C Gilroy, L Marshall, S Moore, M Faddes, I Madigan, J Cooney, E O’Sullivan, J Andrew, M Moore, K Treadwell, S Carter, M Rea, S Reidy, M Coetzee,

Replacements: A McBurney for Andrew 60 mins, K McCall for O’Sullivan 54 mins, G Milasinovich Moore 60 mins, A O’Connor for Carter 48 mins, M Rea for Coetzee 60 mins, D Shanaha for Cooney 68 minsn, B Johnston for Madigan 47 mins, E McIlroy for Marshall 52 mins

Glasgow Warriors: G Bryce, R Tagive, R Fergusson, S McDowall, N Matawalu, P Horne, S Kennedy, A Seiuli, G Stewart, E Pieretto, R Harley, K McDonald, R Wilson, T Gordon, TJ Ioane,

Replacements: J Matthews for Stewart 67 mins, A Allan for Seiuli 54 mins, D Rae for Pieretto 54 mins, L Bean for McDonald 51 mins, H Bain for Harley 73 mins, F Lokotui for Ioane 53 mins, C Korteweg for Kennedy 75 mins, B Thomson for McDowall 48 mins,

Ref: N Owens (WRU)

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