CALLUM Gibbins scored twice but Glasgow Warriors failed to help Edinburgh into a PRO14 play-off spot, and fell to defeat against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium.

Dave Rennie’s side had already secured top spot and a home PRO14 semi-final in Conference A with victory over Connacht last time out, but if they had denied Ulster a win it would have secured a place for Edinburgh in the knockout stages.

However, despite Gibbins’ efforts either side of half time, where Glasgow trailed 16-10, the visitors left with nothing and Edinburgh will now need to take something from next weekend’s 1872 Cup decider against Glasgow.

“Look, they went well,” said Rennie. “We started pretty well and got back to 10-all and I thought we had scored again. We had a fair bit of momentum around that time and we weren’t clinical enough.

“Ulster defended well and then we got back to 16-15, but we just lacked a little bit of edge tonight. We had a number of times where we were only a pass away from hurting them. For one reason or another the pass wasn’t accurate enough or we didn’t throw the pass.”

Ulster dominated early on, and they were led by their scrum-half John Cooney, who scored a fifth-minute penalty and a try eight minutes later off the back of the scrum.

Ulster No 8 Jean Deysel left the field injured in the 16th minute and that was a big blow, ruining their rhythm. Glasgow pounced and Racing 92- bound Finn Russell scored their opening penalty in the 19th minute.

Glasgow were thrilled to be within a score at the end of the opening quarter, but it was to get better, and Alan O’Connor’s poor knock-on in the Glasgow half, showed Ulster were about to creak.

The home side showed some dreadful defence as Fraser Brown barged his way through the Ulster cover, before he exploited a two on one, and off-loaded to Gibbins who scored unopposed.

That try came in the 22nd minute and Russell’s conversion tied the game for the first time. Glasgow went in search of the lead score straight away and ex-Ulster winger Tommy Seymour tackled Charles Piutau into touch.

But Ulster survived the latest onslaught, as Scotland’s Calcutta Cup hero Huw Jones left on a HIA, and was replaced by Nick Grigg.

Cooney set up one final attack for Ulster at the end of the first half, and it was Grigg who got across to tackle Luke Marshall into touch.

But Ulster won a penalty with Glasgow offside in midfield, and Cooney scored the resultant kick-off. That should have been the final play of the half, but Ulster recovered possession worked their way up-field again, and Cooney made it 16-10 off the kicking tee.

Cooney had scored all 16 points for Ulster but he was replaced by the Paul Marshall for a HIA at half time, and Glasgow scored first in the second half with Gibbins diving over after a rolling maul.

But then Ulster took complete control. Tries followed in the 55th and 61st minutes from Nick Timoney and Sean Reidy respectively, but Ulster looked to have failed in their bid for a bonus point. However, in the 83rd minute the ball was sent wide and Timoney crashed over for his second try.

Scorers: Ulster: Tries: J Cooney (13), N Timoney (55, 83), S Reidy (61). Cons: J Cooney (1), J McPhillips (1). Pens: J Cooney (3), McPhillips (1)

Glasgow Warriors: Tries: C Gibbins (22, 47). Cons: F Russell (1). Pens: F Russell (1).

Ulster: C Piutau; L Ludik, L Marshall (T Bowe, 69), S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J McPhillips (A Curtis, 73), J Cooney (P Marshall, 40); A Warwick (K McCall, 54), R Herring (R Best, 62), R Kane (T O’Toole, 62); A O’Connor (R Diack, 77), K Treadwell; N Timoney, S Reidy, J Deysel (C Ross, 16).

Glasgow: S Hogg; T Seymour, H Jones (N Grigg, 31), A Dunbar (P Horne, 67), L Masaga; F Russell, A Price (H Prygos, 62); A Allan (R Grant, 71), F Brown (G Turner, 67), S Halanukonuka (Z Fagerson, 40); S Cummings (G Peterson, 62), T Swinson; R Harley (M Smith, 67), C Gibbins, M Fagerson.

Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)

Attendance: 13,500 approx.