Ulster hold off Glasgow to keep up PRO14 title bid

A clinical display from Ulster ensured they kept the pressure on Leinster thanks to a 19-13 victory over Glasgow.

Tries from Michael Lowry, Craig Gilroy and Nick Timoney saw Ulster bounce back from their first defeat of the Guinness PRO14 season, which came against the Conference A leaders on January 8.

The visitors made the most of a dominant period after a tight opening 50 minutes and secured only their second PRO14 win at Scotstoun.

Ulster fell a further point behind Leinster, whose win over Dragons saw them move five ahead, after their bonus-point hopes were hit by a late yellow card for Alby Mathewson. But they survived a frantic finale after substitute Aki Seiuli went over for Glasgow’s only try.

It was Warriors’ eighth defeat of the league campaign, which left them 11 points off the top three.

Danny Wilson started with Oli Kebble, Huw Jones and Richie Gray after they were released from international duty while Leone Nakarawa made his first start in a year against the club he will join in the summer.

John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey started for Ulster having been released from Ireland duty.

Warriors had the early territory but could not make the most of a series of line-outs and they had a let-off when Marcell Coetzee went over from a similar chance for the visitors but could not get the ball grounded.

Adam Hastings opened the scoring with a 36th-minute penalty on his comeback from a shoulder injury before Ulster scored their first try 30 seconds before half-time.

Ian Madigan intercepted Jamie Dobie’s pass on his way back to start a flowing move which saw James Hume and Cooney make ground down the right before setting up Lowry to use his pace and cross. Cooney added the easy conversion.

The injured Coetzee did not reappear after half-time and Hastings reduced the deficit to one with a penalty from nearly 40 metres.

Gilroy was denied just short of the line by the combined efforts of Jones and Ratu Tagive before the winger crossed moments later in the 55th minute following a penetrating move down the right. Cooney could not convert.

Warriors lost skipper Ryan Wilson to injury with James Scott coming on for his debut and Ulster got their third try seconds later as Timoney went over following a line-out maul in the 62nd minute. This time Cooney converted to extend the lead to 13.

Mathewson was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on in the 75th minute and Seiuli soon made some home pressure count, with Ross Thompson kicking Glasgow within a converted try of victory. But Ulster held out to maintain their title hopes.