United Rugby Championship: Ulster fall to Stormers defeat in Cape Town
Ulster came so close to claiming a notable win in South Africa but suffered a dramatic 23-20 defeat to Stormers in Cape Town.
The home side moved into a 14-0 lead thanks to early tries from Paul de Wet and Leolin Zas.
Marty Moore and Stuart McCloskey went over for Ulster however to give the Irish province a fighting chance.
However, Ulster were denied a late winner when Callum Reid's try was ruled out for a knock on.
The losing bonus point takes Ulster level alongside Leinster at the top of the United Rugby Championship standings with Leinster going to Connacht on Saturday evening.
While Stormers were forceful at the breakdown, Ulster were offered a way to stay in the contest when Moore struck in the 22nd minute, moving over the line after the home side's defence had halted Rob Herring and Billy Burns.
Stormers always looked a real threat with ball in hand, and while Libbok converted a couple of penalties, and two John Cooney kicks kept the Irish province within touching distance at the break.
Stormers always looked a real threat with ball in hand, and while Libbok converted a couple of penalties, and two John Cooney kicks kept the Irish province within touching distance at the break.
In the second half, Ulster failed to convert a big chance for a second try when captain Alan O'Connor knocked a Cooney pass on after Herring, Jordi Murphy and Kieran Treadwell had pushed the visitors towards the line following a line-out.
Two minutes later, another Ulster chance went begging when Stormers forced a turnover after winger Seabelo Senatla knocked the ball on behind his own tryline.
Ulster kept presenting problems for their hosts and again failed to complete a promising move when McCloskey offloaded to centre Luke Marshall, who was back for Ulster after over a year out injured.
In an enthralling ending, Reid thought he had won it for Ulster when he forced himself over the line only for the TMO to rule that he had knocked the ball on as Stormers were relieved to cling on for a toughly-contested win.
Stormers: Gelant, Senatla, Nel, Willemse, Zas, Libbok, De Wet; Kitshoff, Solomon, Malherbe, Smith, Orie, Fourie, Van Rhyn, Roos.
Replacements: Kotze, Harris, Fouche, Evans, Dayimani, Pokomela, Jantjies, Pretorius.
Ulster: Lowry, Gilroy, Moore, McCloskey, Lyttle, Burns, Cooney; O'Sullivan, Herring, Moore, O'Connor (capt), Treadwell, Jones, Rea, Vermeulen.
Replacements: Stewart, Reid, Milasinovich, Kearney, Murphy, Shanahan, Marshall, McIlroy.
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi