It is two wins from two for Dan McFarland's Ulster who overcame Clermont 18-13 tonight. In brutal conditions, cool heads and a half-back partnership that clicked proved crucial.
In the end, the deciding of the game came thanks to scrum-half John Cooney. A penalty in the very first minute set the tone. He nailed the conversion after Jordi Murphy's first-half try which came thanks to a huge maul effort. Shortly after, he pushed their score to 13 with another penalty.
![john cooney](https://img.resized.co/balls_ie/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL21lZGlhLmJhbGxzLmllXFxcL3VwbG9hZHNcXFwvMjAxOVxcXC8xMVxcXC8yMjIxNDQzOVxcXC8xODQ2ODc0LmpwZ1wiLFwid2lkdGhcIjpcIjc2OFwiLFwiaGVpZ2h0XCI6XCI1MjFcIixcImRlZmF1bHRcIjpcImh0dHBzOlxcXC9cXFwvd3d3LmJhbGxzLmllXFxcL2ltYWdlc1xcXC9icmFuZC1pbWFnZS5qcGdcIixcIm9wdGlvbnNcIjp7XCJvdXRwdXRcIjpcIndlYnBcIixcInF1YWxpdHlcIjo5OX19IiwiaGFzaCI6IjdhZTkxNGVlZTZmZWFkM2ZkNTI1NGFmYmZjMDI4NDQxZWRhMDkzYzkifQ==/watch-in-form-cooney-scores-superb-solo-try-to-secure-ulster-win.jpg)
Then there was a true touch of class. Cooney collected at the base of an attacking ruck and chipped over two Clermont heads before racing through to touch down.
John Cooney that is magic! ?
A massive try last week vs Bath, and he's only gone and done it again vs Clermont!
What a try for @UlsterRugby ?#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/Nmwb7F0Dwi
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) November 22, 2019
A late penalty try was not enough for the French visitors and it finished with Ulster top of Pool 3.