Scrum half John Cooney, last season’s leading points scorer in the PRO14, stepped up to kick his sixth penalty of the match in the final minute of an absorbing match at the Kingspan Stadium to earn hsi side a 15-13 victory.
Just as the reigning champions Leinster had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in their opening encounter with the Blues in the Welsh capital the night before, turning a 29-14 deficit into a 33-32 triumph, so Ulster hung in their to final overturn their visitors.
The Scarlets, champions in 2017 and runners-up earlier this year, lead early on thanks to a try by Rhys Patchell that he also converted. But a string of penalties allowed Ulster to go into the break 9-7 ahead thanks to the first three kicks from Cooney.
Two penalties from the boot of Dan Jones edged the Scarlets ahead 13-12 after Cooney had added his fourth successful kick. Then came the coup de gras from the Ulster scrum half that earned his side the points.
Replacement Dan Jones knocked over two penalties and Cooney another before the Ulster scrum-half had the final say. Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac went into the first round missing 14 players and he will be hoping some of them are available to him next week when Leinster visit Parc y Scalrets.
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