Last-gasp Ulster start URC season with Glasgow win

United Rugby Championship

Ulster (10) 20

Tries: Morgan, McCann, Shanahan Cons: Doak Pens: Doak

Glasgow (12) 19

Tries: Matthews, Venter, Steyn Cons: Jordan, Hastings

Ulster scored pinch nan timepiece 4 minutes into nan reddish to guarantee Glasgow Warriors' United Rugby Championship title defence began pinch a melodramatic conclusion successful Belfast.

Replacement scrum-half David Shanahan was nan leader for Richie Murphy's side, squeezing complete from inches distant from nan statement to springiness his broadside a 20-19 triumph astatine nan death.

The Warriors had been nan amended broadside for nan first hr of nan title but, acknowledgment to a brace of second-half yellowish cards, Ulster were allowed backmost into nan crippled and scored doubly successful nan last 8 minutes to slope what had erstwhile seemed an improbable victory.

With nan people having stood astatine 12-10 to nan visitors astatine nan turn, nan first points of nan 2nd half did not get until Dave McCann collapsed complete successful nan 72nd infinitesimal to spark a frantic finish.

In nan last seconds of what was virtually a 20-minute spell pinch 14 men, Glasgow responded almost instantly pinch their 3rd effort of nan evening done skipper Kyle Steyn to lead again but Ulster had Shanahan's moreover later people still successful shop to snatch triumph pinch nan past play of nan contest.

The champions were capable to sanction a starting broadside that boasted 10 of nan 15 who hit nan Bulls to triumph nan title backmost successful June and, from nan off, surely looked nan much cohesive of nan 2 sides.

Sensing early that their maul could beryllium a weapon, nan Warriors preyed upon Ulster's indiscipline, of which location was plentifulness successful nan first-half.

Superior astatine nan breakdown some pinch and without nan ball, it was aft a brace of penalties awarded astatine nan interaction area that Glasgow were capable to unfastened nan scoring.

After Ulster locks Kieran Treadwell and Iain Henderson were pinged successful speedy succession, Glasgow kicked their measurement heavy into guidance territory pinch their prolific hooker Johnny Matthews connected nan extremity of nan maul to touch down.

After 14 tries a twelvemonth ago, it took him conscionable 5 minutes to registry his first of nan 2024-25 season.

Somewhat against nan tally of play, Ulster responded pinch 10 unanswered points to return nan lead. First Nathan Doak sewage them connected nan committee pinch a punishment aft a 4th of an hr and past debutant Morgan gave them nan lead pinch a people he some created and vanished off.

It was nan Kiwi's complaint down of Tom Jordan that put Ulster connected nan onslaught and, aft his offload to Mike Lowry was recycled, he displayed nan beingness of mind to get backmost connected his feet and dart betwixt Stafford McDowall and Richie Gray.

Henco Venter collapsed complete from adjacent scope to reconstruct their advantage but nan visitors will person headed for half clip disappointment that they grounded to return either of 2 precocious maul opportunities to widen their advantage earlier nan turn.

With Ulster's fortunes astatine nan scrum not improving successful nan early moments of nan 2nd half, Murphy replaced some his starting props, bringing connected Tom O'Toole and Andy Warwick to effort and dependable nan ship.

Glasgow would spot a Rory Darge people ruled retired for a guardant walk successful nan build-up and, contempt being nan amended side, arsenic nan crippled neared nan last quarter, still only led by two.

Tom Jordan's yellowish paper for a vulnerable ruck introduction gave Ulster a measurement backmost into nan crippled pinch nan numerical advantage sparking their champion transition of nan game.

But while they forced Glasgow into yet much punishment concessions, yet drafting a yellowish for Richie Gray, they were held up complete nan statement erstwhile attacking against 13.

Jordan returned but, aft a afloat 15 minutes of pounding nan Glasgow line, Ulster yet recovered a measurement complete pinch Dave McCann crashing complete a wide of bodies to crushed nan ball.

But Glasgow struck backmost almost immediately, pinch Kyle Steyn finishing disconnected a move successful which Franco Smith's broadside made ray of their numerical disadvantage.

With Gray returning to nan section conscionable arsenic replacement Adam Hastings added nan extras, Ulster were near needing a effort successful nan last moments.

After 4 afloat minutes of added time, they thought they had it erstwhile Shanahan recovered nan whitewash but nan play was not yet finished.

A lengthy chat betwixt nan officials to ascertain whether Shanahan had knocked connected earlier grounding followed pinch nan determination to grant nan people sparking immense ceremony successful nan stands.

Ulster: McIlroy; Lowry, Moore, Postlethwaite, Stockdale; Morgan, Doak; O'Sullivan, Andrew, Barrett; Henderson (capt), Treadwell; McNabney, McCann, Timoney

Replacements: McCormick, Warwick, O'Toole, Sheridan, Izuchukwu, Shanahan, Humphreys, Kok

Glasgow: McKay; Cancelliere, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Steyn (capt); Jordan, Dobie; Bhatti, Matthews, Talakai; Williamson, Gray; M Fagerson, Darge, Venter.

Replacements: Hiddleston, McBeth, Z Fagerson, Samuel, Brown, Ferrie, Afshar, Hastings.

Yellow cards: Jordan, Gray

Referee: Adam Jones