Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOHN THE WHISTLE
Last-gasp Andrew try seals thrilling win
JOHN ANDREW clinched a thrilling win for Ulster with a try three minutes from time but injury concerns over Rory Best are are a long term worry.
Jacob Stockdale also scored a second half try for the hosts as the champions twice took the lead thanks to Johnny Mcnicholl and Jon Davies scores.
But a hamstring injury means Best looks like a major doubt for Ulster’s opening Champions Cup tie with Wasps.
Best showed up at Kingspan Stadium on crutches following a training ground injury and, with four to six weeks estimated for his recovery, Ulster will likely line up without their captain for that October 13 tussle.
There was a sombre moment before kick-off as the Ulster players (below) paused in silence to mark the fifth anniversary of the death of their former player Nevin Spence.
Ulster were understandably slow out of the blocks and, after Luke Marshall infringed, Leigh Halfpenny slotted the third minute penalty from the right.
The home side shook themselves into action and three John Cooney penalties give them a 9-3 advantage at the break.
Scarlets second row Tadhg Beirne had been brilliant all night but, despite a great double turnover in the space of 30 seconds, a 53rd minute penalty from Cooney extended Ulster’s lead to nine.
A deliberate knock-on short of the hour meant Halfpenny made it 12-6 and 19 minutes from time a Hadleigh Parkes break was finished off by Mcnicholl.
Halfpenny’s conversion gave Scarlets the lead.
But it was short-lived and Stuart Mccloskey’s break down the left was graced with Stockdale’s second try of the season.
Scarlets retook the lead four minutes later when they played the ball across the line for Davies to score but a topsy turvy clash was finally settled when Andrew ran in the winner at the death.