Match Reports

Match Report | Glasgow Warriors 13 Ulster 19

19th February 2021
Ulster returned to Guinness PRO14 action with a vital victory over Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday evening. The hosts set out their stall early on, making yards and keeping Ulster pinned inside their 22 for much of the first quarter of the game. They had a couple of prime opportunities but ill-discipline from Glasgow and solid defence by Ulster kept the whitewash uncrossed. Ulster began to click, going through the hands to test the Glasgow defence, eventually earning a penalty which Ian Madigan kicked to the corner. Marcell Coetzee looked like he muscled his way over to score after peeling away from the maul but was held up. Glasgow’s Rob Harley stole Ulster’s ball in the ensuing maul and forced a penalty for the hosts; Ulster’s first great chance to get on the score sheet was gone.   Possession was exchanged a number of times through a breathless period when both Glasgow and Ulster ripped the ball to go on the counter-attack. Eventually, Ulster were penalised for not rolling away in the tackle. Glasgow were first to register on the board through an Adam Hastings penalty in the 36th minute. Ulster quickly responded however on the stroke of half-time through a superb try from Mike Lowry who put on the after-burners to leave the Glasgow defence in his wake. John Cooney slotted the conversion and the visitors went into the break with the lead. Ian Madigan made the intercept for Eric O’Sullivan to go on a thundering run before the ball went through the hands of John Cooney, Stuart McCloskey and James Hume in the build-up. Ulster looked to be in a good position in the opening minutes of the second half with a line-out deep into the Glasgow half, but Rob Harley once again made a nuisance of himself to force a turnover for the hosts and escape imminent danger. Glasgow and Adam Hastings soon made it a one-point game with his second penalty of the evening. It took a second bite at the cherry for Craig Gilroy to score, after his first attempt was well dealt with by the Glasgow defence and the ball went loose as he was tackled. He finally crossed over in the corner after Tom O’Toole went on the charge and Cooney offloaded to Lowry, who passed out wide to the grateful winger. Ulster’s tails were up and they began to relentlessly pound the Glasgow line, earning a string of penalties and eventually getting dividends through Nick Timoney, who powered over from a maul to claim the visitors’ third try. The Warriors benefited from a man advantage after Alby Mathewson saw yellow for a knock-on, and replacement prop, Aki Seiuli went over to close the gap, Ross Thompson converting. A crucial turnover from captain Jordi Murphy at the death closed the door on another Glasgow attack, and Ulster came away from Scotstoun Stadium with a crucial away win. Full-time score: Glasgow Warriors 13 Ulster 19

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

SCORERS

Glasgow Tries: Aki Seiuli Conversions: Ross Thompson Penalties: Adam Hastings (2) Ulster Tries: Michael Lowry, Craig Gilroy, Nick Timoney Conversions: John Cooney (2)

LINE-UPS

Glasgow Warriors: Huw Jones, Ratu Tagive, Robbie Fergusson, Sam Johnson, Rufus McLean, Adam Hastings, Jamie Dobie; Oli Kebble, Johnny Matthews, Enrique Pieretto, Richie Gray, Leone Nakarawa, Rob Harley, Thomas Gordon, Ryan Wilson (CAPT). Replacements: Grant Stewart, Aki Seiuli, D’arcy Rae, James Scott, TJ Ioane, Sean Kennedy, Ross Thompson, Ollie Smith. Ulster: Michael Lowry, Craig Gilroy, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Rob Lyttle, Ian Madigan, John Cooney; Eric O’Sullivan, John Andrew, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Nick Timoney, Jordi Murphy (CAPT), Marcell Coetzee. Replacements: Adam McBurney, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Cormac Izuchukwu, Greg Jones, Alby Mathewson, Stewart Moore, Matt Faddes.

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