Sport

Sherriff rains on McCall's parade

Ulster 19 Harlequins 26 Not a winning start in Mark McCall's first match as Ulster coach but still a performance of enough potential…

Sat Aug 21 2004 - 01:00

Ulster 19 Harlequins 26Not a winning start in Mark McCall's first match as Ulster coach but still a performance of enough potential to suggest a promising season ahead at Ravenhill. Indeed the home side allowed a match they had bossed slip through their fingers to an injury-time winning try by Luke Sherriff in front of 6,100 people.

The home side started sharply with outhalf Paddy Wallace slicing from deep inside his own half after a neat dummy. Seconds later, new number eight signing Campbell Feather made a searing break, was able to keep the attack alive and when the ball was recycled, Adam Larkin put flanker Neil Best over in the third minute.

Another moment of magic by the hugely impressive Wallace created Ulster's second try, his neat chip behind the Quins' defence allowing winger Andrew Maxwell to gather for the try.

Quins reduced the deficit when prop Ceri Jones barged his way over on 17 minutes for an unconverted try.

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With the Quins' pack starting to make progress via their rolling maul, scrumhalf Steven So'oialo nipped over for his side's second try in the 36th minute.

Both coaches used the second half to use their benches and that included a return to action for Ulster centre Jonny Bell, after almost a year out following an operation on his Achilles.

After a spell of intense Ulster pressure the visitors contrived a breakaway try, finished by centre Andy Reay in the 62nd minute. Ulster responded with Andy Ward's try to set up Sherriff's coup de grâce .

ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, S Stewart, A Larkin, A Maxwell; P Wallace, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, N Best, N McMillan (capt), C Feather. Replacements: T Bowe for Topping (40 mins); B Young for McCormack (46); M McCullough for Mustchin (46); J Bell for Stewart (47), A Ward for Feather (47); N Doak for Campbell (52); N Brady for Shields (59); S Shawe for Moore (63), S Mallon for Larkin (63)

HARLEQUINS: G Duffy; H Barratt, J Staunton, A Reay, S Keogh; A Dunne, S So'oialo; C Jones, T Fuga, J Dawson, K Rudzki, R Winters, M Molitika, L Sherriff, K Hortsmann. Replacements: J Hayter for Fuga (39 mins); T Diprose for Hortsmann (39), A Tiatia for Diprose (48), S Miall for Tiatia (55)

Referee: A Rolland (Leinster).