Gilroy & Bowe end Glasgow's run

Second-half tries from Irish internationals Craig Gilroy and Tommy Bowe inflicted a first defeat of the season on Glasgow Warriors and moved Ulster up to third in the Pro12 table.

Gilroy's quick feet and Bowe's opportunism transformed a game that looked destined to be a battle of the kickers between Ian Humphreys and Finn Russell.

Humphreys ultimately notched 19 points to Russell's nine in the 29-9 triumph, as Ulster ensured that the Warriors' impressive start to the season hit its first roadblock.

History was on Glasgow's side coming into the game, the Scots having won each of the last three league meetings between the two sides, but the Irish side refused to let that statistic faze them.

The match started in a frantic manner at the Kingspan Stadium with both teams looking to play at pace but it was the visitors who drew first blood.

Following a spell of good attacking play, the visitors were awarded a seventh minute penalty which flyhalf Russell duly slotted between the uprights.

That lead didn't last long however, and by the 16th minute the boot of Humphreys had given the home side a 6-3 lead.

To their credit, both sides showed continual willing and creativity in their attempts to land a game-changing blow but a pair of well-marshalled defences ensured the contest remained a battle of the flyhalves.

A quick-fire exchange of penalties just after the 20 minute mark maintained Ulster's three point lead but that was extended as the half wore on.

Firstly, the Warriors were penalised at the scrum, allowing Humphreys to bisect the posts once again, before Glasgow's Fijian lock, Leone Nakarawa, saw yellow six minutes before the break.

The Irishmen pressed, hoping to convert their man advantage into considerable points but were forced to settle for another three from the boot of Humphreys and a 15-6 half-time lead.

With Nakarawa back on the field after the interval, Russell again stepped up to reduce the deficit to six points but on 59 minutes Ulster could have notched the game's first try.

Paul Marshall's clever kick through bounced off the corner flag, which is no longer considered in touch, but agonisingly rolled out of bounds before an incoming Ulster attacker could touch down for the score.

But just seven minutes later, the quick feet and brain of Gilroy struck a decisive blow.

The speedster took the perfect line to collect Marshall's pop pass and scythe through the Glasgow back-line before using his pace to leave the remaining defenders trailing in his wake and touch down.

Humphreys added the extras and the victory was sealed following a breakaway from an interception on the 70 minute mark.

A loose pass from experienced prop Euan Murray just inside the Ulster half was gleefully seized upon by two-time British & Irish Lion Bowe and he burst clear to dot down under the posts.

The visitors huffed and puffed in the final stages to try and salvage something from the game but the Irish side stayed strong to move just one point behind their opponents in the Pro12 table.

* In other Saturday action Ian Madigan and Luke McGrath scored second-half tries to secure Leinster their third Pro12 win of the season with a 20-3 triumph over a resilient Zebre at Stadio XXV Aprile.

* Tim Visser's second-half try sent Edinburgh on their way to a 24-10 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at BT Murrayfield as the hosts got back to winning ways in the Pro12.

All Saturday's scores and scorers!

Edinburgh 24-10 Newport Gwent Dragons

The scorers:

For Edinburgh:

Tries: Visser, Fife

Con: Heathcote

Pens: Heathcote 4

For Newport Gwent Dragons:

Try: Pewtner

Con: Tovey

Pen: O'Brien

Yellow cards: John Andress (Edinburgh, 29), Boris Stankovich (Newport Gwent Dragons, 29)

Teams:

Edinburgh: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Sam Beard, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Sean Kennedy, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Mike Coman (captain), 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 John Andress, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.

Replacements: 16 James Hiltebrand, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Willem Nel, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Tomas Leonardi, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Phil Burgleigh, 23 Jack Cuthbert.

Newport Gwent Dragons: 15 Lee Byrne (captain), 14 Matthew Pewtner, 13 Tom Prydie, 12 Ashley Smith, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Jonathan Evans, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Lewis Evans, 5 Rynard Landman, 4 Andrew Coombs, 3 Dan Way, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Boris Stankovich.

Replacements: 16 T. Rhys Thomas, 17 Hugh Gustafson, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Ian Gough, 20 James Thomas, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Angus O'Brien, 23 Aled Brew.

Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)

Assistant referees: David Changleng (Scotland), Bob Nevins (Scotland)

TMO: Iain Ramage (Scotland)

Zebre 3-20 Leinster

The scorers:

For Zebre:

Pen: Orquera

For Leinster:

Tries: Madigan, L McGrath

Cons: Madigan, Gopperth

Pens: Madigan 2

Yellow card: Marco Bortolami (Zebre, 17)

Teams:

Zebre: 15 David Odiete, 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Tommaso Iannone, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Edoardo Padovani, 9 Guglielmo Palazzani, 8 Samuela Vunisa, 7 Filippo Cristiano, 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 5 Marco Bortolami (captain), 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Dario Chistolini, 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea Lovotti, 18 Luciano Leibson, 19 Andries Ferreira, 20 Valerio Bernabò, 21 Luciano Orquera, 22 Kelly Haimona, 23 George Biagi.

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney (captain), 14 Zane Kirchner, 13 Gordon D'Arcy, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Darragh Fanning, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Marty Moore, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Jack McGrath.

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Jamie Heaslip, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Jimmy Gopperth, 23 Mick McGrath.

Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)

Assistant referees: Matteo Liperini (Italy), Francesco Russo (Italy)

TMO: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

Ulster 29-9 Glasgow Warriors

The scorers:

For Ulster:

Tries: Gilroy, Bowe

Cons: Humphreys 2

Pens: Humphreys 5

For Glasgow Warriors:

Pens: Russell 3

Yellow card: Leone Nakarawa (Glasgow Warriors, 33)

Teams:

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Tommy Bowe, 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Paul Marshall, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Robbie Diack, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Alan O'Connor, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Andrew Warwick.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Callum Black, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Lewis Stevenson, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Stuart Olding, 23 Craig Gilroy.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Tommy Seymour, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Josh Strauss (captain), 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Gordon Reid.

Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Adam Ashe, 21 Niko Matawalu, 22 James Downey, 23 Sean Lamont.

Referee: Nigel Owens

Assistant referees: Nigel Correll, Paul Haycock

TMO: Simon McDowell