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 with the clock four minutes into the red to ensure Glasgow Warriors' United Rugby Championship title defence began with a dramatic defeat in Belfast.

Replacement scrum-half David Shanahan was the hero for Richie Murphy's side, squeezing over from inches away from the line to give his side a 20-19 win at the death.

The Warriors had been the better side for the first hour of the contest but, thanks to a pair of second-half yellow cards, Ulster were allowed back into the game and scored twice in the final eight minutes to bank what had once seemed an unlikely victory.

With the score having stood at 12-10 to the visitors at the turn, the first points of the second half did not arrive until Dave McCann crashed over in the 72nd minute to spark a frantic finish.

In the final seconds of what was virtually a 20-minute spell with 14 men, Glasgow responded almost immediately with their third try of the evening through skipper Kyle Steyn to lead again but Ulster had Shanahan's even later score still in store to snatch victory with the last play of the contest.

The champions were able to name a starting side that boasted 10 of the 15 who beat the Bulls to win the title back in June and, from the off, certainly looked the more cohesive of the two sides.

Sensing early that their maul could be a weapon, the Warriors preyed upon Ulster's indiscipline, of which there was plenty in the first-half.

Superior at the breakdown both with and without the ball, it was after a pair of penalties awarded at the contact area that Glasgow were able to open the scoring.

After Ulster locks Kieran Treadwell and Iain Henderson were pinged in quick succession, Glasgow kicked their way deep into opposition territory with their prolific hooker Johnny Matthews on the end of the maul to touch down.

After 14 tries a year ago, it took him just five minutes to register his first of the 2024-25 season.

Somewhat against the run of play, Ulster responded with ten unanswered points to take the lead. First Nathan Doak got them on the board with a penalty after a quarter of an hour and then debutant Morgan gave them the lead with a score he both created and finished off.

It was the Kiwi's charge down of Tom Jordan that put Ulster on the attack and, after his offload to Mike Lowry was recycled, he displayed the presence of mind to get back on his feet and dart between Stafford McDowall and Richie Gray.

Henco Venter crashed over from close range to restore their advantage but the visitors will have headed for half time frustrated that they failed to take either of two late maul opportunities to extend their advantage before the turn.

With Ulster's fortunes at the scrum not improving in the early moments of the second half, Murphy replaced both his starting props, bringing on Tom O'Toole and Andy Warwick to try and steady the ship.

Glasgow would see a Rory Darge score ruled out for a forward pass in the build-up and, despite being the better side, as the game neared the final quarter, still only led by two.

Tom Jordan's yellow card for a dangerous ruck entry gave Ulster a way back into the game with the numerical advantage sparking their best passage of the game.

But while they forced Glasgow into yet more penalty concessions, eventually drawing a yellow for Richie Gray, they were held up over the line when attacking against 13.

Jordan returned but, after a full 15 minutes of pounding the Glasgow line, Ulster eventually found a way over with Dave McCann crashing over a mass of bodies to ground the ball.

But Glasgow struck back almost immediately, with Kyle Steyn finishing off a move in which Franco Smith's side made light of their numerical disadvantage.

With Gray returning to the field just as replacement Adam Hastings added the extras, Ulster were left needing a try in the final moments.

After four full minutes of added time, they thought they had it when Shanahan found the whitewash but the drama was not yet finished.

A lengthy discussion between the officials to ascertain whether Shanahan had knocked on before grounding followed with the decision to award the score sparking huge celebration in the 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