United Rugby Championship: Scarlets 39-55 Ulster

Ireland scrum-half John Cooney scored 30 points to inspire Ulster to a United Rugby Championship win over Scarlets in a 12-try thriller.

Cooney scored two tries, seven conversions and two penalties.

Further Ulster tries came from Alan O'Connor, Marty Moore, Marcus Rea, Billy Burns and Tom O'Toole.

Scarlets responded with two tries from replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes and scores from Jonathan Davies, Ryan Conbeer and Vaea Fifita.

Ulster led 14-0, 28-15 and 45-29 as Scarlets always battled back but could not overcome their Irish opponents, as the home side were left to rue two yellow cards, for Sam Costelow and Fifita.

It was the second highest number of points Scarlets have conceded at home in the league.

Scarlets trio Johnny McNicholl, Tom Rogers and Tomas Lezana missed out through injury, with Ioan Nicholas, Corey Baldwin and Josh Macleod coming in as three changes from the side that drew 23-23 with Ospreys.

Scarlets already have a lengthy injury list with McNicholl, Lezana, Rogers and Wyn Jones joining Leigh Halfpenny, Aaron Shingler, Scott Williams, Steff Evans, Dan Davis, Phil Price, Lewis Rawlins, Joe Roberts, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Callum Williams, Kemsley Mathias, WillGriff John, Samson Lee, Griff Evans and Josh Helps on the unavailability roster.

Ulster were without nine players who are part of the Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa.

Coach Dan McFarland was still able to welcome back Ireland internationals Rob Herring, Timoney, Michael Lowry and Cooney who didn't feature in last weekend's opening 36-10 win over Connacht, while Ulster wing Aaron Sexton made his first start for the province.

Centre Stuart McCloskey was relentless in the opening Ulster burst, with the visitors rewarded with a try for captain O'Connor, converted by Cooney.

The early onslaught continued as prop Moore crashed over to set-up a 14-point advantage in 16 minutes.

Scarlets sprung into action as captain Davies retaliated with a try that included an outrageous offload from Fifita in the build-up.

This was followed by a superb unconverted try for Conbeer that saw Costelow, Sione Kalamafoni and Blade Thomson heavily involved.

Costelow added a penalty to give Scarlets the advantage before picking up his second yellow card in successive games.

The Scarlets fly-half was adjudged to have taken out Sexton in the air rather than the officials considering it a rugby collision, with the Ulster wing being forced off the field to be replaced by Craig Gilroy.

It proved a pivotal decision as Scarlets conceded 14 points when down to 14 men.

Ulster almost instantly took advantage of their extra man after Cooney strolled over for a converted try to restore the lead.

Lowry turned creator again as flanker Rea crossed for the bonus-point try as the visitors led 28-15 at half-time.

Scarlets' Rhys Patchell made his first appearance of the season after coming on at full-back for Ioan Nicholas.

Fifita reduced the deficit with an interception try before giving away a penalty with a high tackle on Lowry.

John Cooney has played 11 internationals for Ireland

Cooney slotted over the kick before converting the try from half-back partner Burns.

Scarlets again responded with their own bonus-point try after replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes powered over from a rolling maul.

South African referee AJ Jacobs again angered the Scarlets home crowd. First he adjudged a Burns kick to have stayed in play rather than going dead, which set up the attacking platform for a second Cooney try.

Jacobs originally adjudged no try but was overruled by the Scottish television match official Sam Grove-White.

Scarlets retaliated with a second Hughes try, converted by Patchell who slotted over a penalty to bring the hosts to within a score.

Cooney missed a penalty chance as Scarlets introduced 18-year-old flanker Luca Giannini, who became the home side's second youngest player in the league after Ioan Nicholas.

Fifita was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on as Cooney kicked a penalty, before a try from replacement prop Tom O'Toole sealed the win.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel: "It was a helter-skelter game. I think it was a huge effort.

"It was a game of high intensity and a lot of tries and we were six points down with five minutes to go.

"There are discipline areas we need to tidy up. We were second best in the fundamentals of the game which I am disappointed about and that's what has ultimately won Ulster the game."

Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper: "It was a ding-dong battle. Both sides threw the kitchen sink at each other in attack and it looked like an early season game where the sun was out with an unbelievable track.

"Sometimes both sides looked like they had forgotten about the defending part of the game.

"We won key moments when Scarlets kept coming back at us."

Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas; Corey Baldwin, Jonathan Davies (capt), Johnny Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies, Steff Thomas, Ryan Elias, Javan Sebastian, Vaea Fifita, Sam Lousi, Blade Thomson, Josh Macleod, Sione Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Daf Hughes, Sam O'Connor, Harri O'Connor, Tom Price, Luca Giannini, Kieran Hardy, Dan Jones, Rhys Patchell.

Ulster: Michael Lowry; Aaron Sexton, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney; Andy Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O'Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: Declan Moore, Eric O'Sullivan, Tom O'Toole, Sam Carter, Sean Reffell, Dave Shanahan, Angus Curtis, Craig Gilroy.

Referee: AJ Jacobs (SARU)

Assistant referees: Mike English & Elliot Mayor (WRU)

TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)