Ulster made it four wins from four in the Heineken Champions Cup with a 34-10 bonus-point win over Harlequins at the Stoop.
The win sees the northern province go six points clear at the top of Pool 3, although Clermont will be expected to close that gap after they take on Bath on Sunday afternoon.
John Cooney was again absolutely vital for his side, scoring two tries and a total of 19 points, unsurprisingly winning the man of the match award.
Ulster started the better of the two sides with Cooney putting his team ahead with a penalty in the sixth minute.
It was a scrappy opening 20 minutes but Ulster were well on top top, dominating both territory and possession.
However, despite being camped in Quins’ half for much of the opening quarter the Ulstermen were unable to add to their tally.
It was the south-west Londoners who got on the scoreboard next, with Scottish international levelling things up at the Stoop with a penalty after 35 minutes.
The northern province finally found a try through Cooney once again on the stroke of half-time after a brilliant break from deep inside their own territory.
60' TRY ULSTER! It's that man again.... Coooooney!
HAR 3 ULS 24#SUFTUMLive #HARvULS pic.twitter.com/WzwmOVqjzs
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) December 13, 2019
That left it Ulster 10-3 Harlequins at half-time, after what was largely an error-strewn and ill-disciplined opening 40 minutes.
Harlequins nearly scored early on in the second-half after a brilliant break from Fijian flanker Semi Kunatani who then set Ross Chisholm free.
However, it was Cooney again who stepped up to the plate, tackling Quins’ fullback about 10 metres from the Ulster try-line and causing the Englishman to lose the ball.
Luke Marshall got his side’s second try only minutes later after a lovely grubber kick from Stuart McCloskey, putting his fellow centre over the try-line.
Cooney then scored a second try just before the 60-minute mark, putting his side 24-3 up and seemingly out of sight.
However, the Premiership side hit back almost immediately through a try from South African second-row Stephan Lewies, which brought the gap back to 14.
Ulster had the last laugh, however, as winger Matt Faddes went over in the corner for the bonus-point try with four minutes remaining.
Replacement prop Tom O’Toole went over for the Ulstermen’s fifth and final try minutes later, wrapping up an excellent win for the away side.
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