ULSTER COACH DAN McFarland said that Marcell Coetzee returning to South Africa a year earlier is a blow but he’s confident they will move on from it.

The Springbok missed the trip to Galway but with Nick Timoney producing a timely superb display at No.8, Ulster powered from behind to maintain their winning start to the PRO14 campiagn.

“Marcell is a great player and he has been really good for us and we would have loved him to stay for another year,” said McFarland.

“But the sports teams are always in a state of flux, players moving on and guys retiring and young fellas coming through.

“So, it is a loss for us but there is going to be an opportunity in this as well.”

The former Connacht prop and forwards coach was pleased that they won at the Sportsground for the first time in five years.

“We’re a long time waiting to win here and it was never going to be easy,” he added. “We knew it was going to be physical and the manner of the victory was excellent.

“We made some errors but the conditions were difficult but the lads stuck to their guns against an experienced team. We try to measure ourselves by performances and we played well in Europe with just some poor elements in there. The win column tonight is what counts.”

Try-scorer Jordi Murphy said that winning a derby away from home was a big target and the win in Galway was a big boost after the two European losses to Toulouse and Gloucester.

“We spoke about not winning away since 2015 and we came here with a chip on our shoulder. We talked a lot and were glad we backed it up. It’s tough in Christmas week and everything but the boys did really well

“You know coming here, if you get a good day it is one in a 100. The boys did well, we managed it well and Ian Madigan kicked his points. They scored twice in the first-half and had us under the cosh in the scrums but we regathered well with the conditions behind us and used them well.”

His skipper Alan O’Connor said it took them some time to sort out difficulties up front, but he was pleased with the way they turned it around after the break.

“Discipline was key, they got the upper hand in the scrum and we conceded points. But we bounced back well as we always do and battled hard.

We were on the wrong end in Europe and we are going well in this league. We’re proud of everyone and we’re excited about these battles in the inter-pros.”