Ulster subjected table-topping Glasgow Warriors to their first defeat of the GUINNESS PRO12 campaign – 29-9 – as late tries from Craig Gilroy and Tommy Bowe capped a superbly-managed performance from Neil Doak’s men.
Ruthless kicking from Ian Humphreys added 19 points to the two wingers’ scores as Ulster avenged home and away defeats at the hands of the Warriors last term with their best display of the season so far.
Leicester Tigers will be their opening European Champions Cup opponents next Saturday night but on the basis of their form against the much-fancied Scots, Ulster will go into that match confident of their chances of getting a result at Welford Road.
The first half was all about place-kicking, with Humphreys landing five penalties from six attempts, and his opposite number Finn Russell converting three from three.
Glasgow, coming into the game on five straight wins, started with gusto and Ulster needed Louis Ludik to mop up Humphreys’ charged-down clearance attempt as the ball crossed their try-line as early as the second minute, with several Warriors giving chase.
Russell and Humphreys kicked a penalty apiece either side of the 10-minute mark, before a collapsed Glasgow scrum allowed the Ulster out-half to edge his side into the lead from the 10-metre line.
Ludik was fortunate to escape without serious injury after an awkward fall as winger Sean Lamont took him out in the air, but the Scottish international was absolved of any intent by referee Nigel Owens after the Welshman had reviewed the incident on the big screen.
Indeed, it was Glasgow who were to benefit from the phase, with a second successful penalty dispatched by Russell for 6-6.
Humphreys added his third penalty of the afternoon on 22 minutes and after a barnstorming raid from Andrew Trimble had raised the match’s tempo – and the decibel level within Kingspan Stadium – the out-half made it four from four with Glasgow infringing at the scrum.
A foolish interception from Leone Nakarawa when standing in a clearly offside position saw the lock sent to the sin-bin on 34 minutes and Humphreys presented with penalty number five, but for once the kick was off target.
However, he was quick to atone with another successful attempt two minutes later for a 15-6 advantage. Ulster went on to finish the first half in control on halfway, with Craig Gilroy a late replacement for Trimble, who appeared to have picked up a knock during his earlier foray down the wing.
Russell opened the second period with another sweetly-struck penalty from distance, with Williams admonished by referee Owens for an overly combative tackle.
A number of similarly meaty challenges ensued as Glasgow probed the Ulster defence along the left wing, but the province did well to turn play over – with Tommy Bowe only denied a 48th minute try by an uncharacteristic knock-on as he stooped to pick up Humphreys’ clever cross-field delivery towards the corner.
Quick feet from Gilroy and strong aerial play from Bowe kept Ulster on top as the hour mark approached, and Stuart McCloskey produced another standout moment as he powered past four would-be tacklers in the Glasgow midfield in a move which only narrowly failed to produce the most remarkable of tries.
Paul Marshall’s kick to the corner landed just there – on top of the corner flag – and, as the ball dropped behind the Glasgow line, Jared Payne was first there to touch down. The TMO replay, however, showed that the ball strayed marginally into touch just before Payne got hands on it, much to the dismay of the majority of the 16,260-strong crowd.
Play resumed after a protracted pause for treatment to Warriors centre Mark Bennett who left the pitch on a stretcher.
Following a missed drop goal Humphreys, Gilroy produced some individual brilliance as he picked up possession on the 22 and slalomed his way around five tackles to score his second try of the season – and one of the most spectacular of his career to date.
With Humphreys’ conversion dispatched, Bowe then intercepted a loose Glasgow ball on halfway and not to be outdone by his fellow winger, the Monaghan man left his chasers for dead as he sprinted under the posts for try number two, again converted by Humphreys to put Ulster out of sight at 29-9.
On the back of tonight’s win, Neil Doak’s charges climbed into second spot in the PRO12 table and are a single point shy of the previously unbeaten Warriors.
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