'When you come on you are expected to make a difference' - Ulster try-scorer Dave Shanahan

Dave Shanahan has spent a long time as a cameo specialist and he will have had few sweeter moments than poaching Ulster's winner on Saturday night.

An opening weekend of thrilling BKT URC action finished with the 31-year-old scrum-half's quarter-back sneak try as Ulster beat defending champions Glasgow 20-19 at the Kingspan Stadium.

The Dubliner, who started in just one of 25 appearances in the last three seasons, made his Ulster debut back in 2013 and has largely played third fiddle in the scrum-half pecking order, most recently behind John Cooney, currently injured, and Nathan Doak, who started against the Warriors.

However, Shanahan made a telling impact in his 26 minutes on the field, firstly involved as Dave McCann scored his try and then touching down for the late match-winner.

"It feels good. We don't like making it easy for ourselves sometimes, do we?" Shanahan, named man of the match, told reporters after the game.

"We've been pretty up and down. It's a good feeling. When you come on as a sub, you're expected to make a difference and the guys put in a big shift for the majority of the game.

"We were joking downstairs, the forwards must have done 20 or 30 pick-and-goes all the way up to the line and then it just sort of came to me to the end and it was an easy put down. They did all the hard work and it was a great feeling.

"I try to stay pretty consistent with how I think. It's up to the coaches to pick the best player and who the best two 9s are, and the way I look at it is when I get a chance, play my very best and that's all I can do. I was happy I was able to make a decent impact today, anyway."

After the try was awarded, the Ravenhill faithful had to endure a nervy TMO check that, in the end, seemed somewhat