United Rugby Championship, Dexcom Stadium
Connacht 24 (10)
Tries: Treacy, Jansen, Devine Cons: Gilbert 3 Pens: Gilbert
Ulster 29 (12)
Tries: Z Ward 2, Kok, Penalty try Cons: Murphy 2 Pens: Murphy
Ulster came from behind to claim a fifth bonus-point win of their United Rugby Championship campaign against Connacht in Galway.
Both sides came into the interprovincial derby at the Dexcom Stadium off the back of consecutive losses in all competitions but it was the northern province who got back to winning ways with a pair of tries in each half.
In a game when both sides were shown a pair of yellow cards, Zac Ward scored twice for Ulster with a Werner Kok effort and penalty try also contributing to the win.
Connacht, who had led 10-0 in the first-half, scored late tries through Sean Jansen and Matthew Devine to cut the deficit to two late on, but Jack Murphy’s late penalty made the game safe.
Ulster remain fifth in the URC and host Munster in Belfast next week, while Connacht go to Leinster now having lost five of their past six games.
When it came to those vying for national coach Andy Farrell’s attention, opposing flankers Nick Timoney and Cian Prendergast both made telling contributions in the early minutes with breakdown turnovers.
The latter should have provided the territory for Connacht’s first score but Sam Gilbert missed a kickable penalty at the end of a forgettable opening quarter of an hour.
The westerners eventually took the lead in the 24th minute.
With Ulster’s Jack Murphy in the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on, Connacht made the most of a kick out on the full with Sam Gilbert putting Finn Treacy over in the corner for the game’s opening try.
It was only handling errors in promising positions that prevented Connacht from taking a more commanding early lead. Ulster, meanwhile, were undermined by ill-discipline with seven penalties conceded ensuring they had precious little territory to speak of across the first half hour.
Two of those transgressions came on their own feed at the scrum with the latter of those punished by a Gilbert penalty.
In what was their first attack of any note, Zac Ward reduced the arrears seven minutes before half-time after the ball was moved well through the hands of Kok and Jacob Stockdale, although Connacht were adamant that Juarno Augustus had knocked on at the prior ruck.
It was Connacht then falling foul of the referee’s whistle and, after another penalty, Ward was in for his second with the last play of the half after more good work from the industrious Kok.
Ulster changed both props at half-time, bringing on Angus Bell and Tom O’Toole and, only two minutes into the half, Irish centres Bundee Aki and Stuart McCloskey were both shown a yellow card for a scuffle after the whistle.
With both sides down to 14, Ulster were in for their third with Kok this this time on the end of another slick interchange of passes.
Just as Aki and McCloskey returned, Connacht were shown their second yellow card of the game with Joe Joyce sent to the sin bin and shipping a penalty try for illegally stopping an Ulster maul.
The discipline from both sides – there were 26 penalties in the first hour of the game alone – robbed the contest of any real rhythm and Connacht spurned a key opportunity to get back into the game with another ball lost in contact just prior to the conclusion of Joyce’s yellow card.
Number eight Jansen did cut the deficit with Connacht’s second with just under a quarter of an hour to play and, when scrum-half Devine scrambled over from close range 10 minutes later, a grandstand finish was in store.
After an important aerial take from Jacob Stockdale, however, Ulster saw out the game with Murphy adding another penalty in the final minute.
Connacht: Gilbert; Ryan, Forde, Aki, Treacy; Carty, B Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham; Joyce, O’Connor; J Murphy, Prendergast, Jansen.
Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Duggan, Barrett, Murray, O’Brien, Devine, Ioane, Gavin.
Yellow Cards: Aki, Joyce
Ulster: Stockdale; Kok, Hume, McCloskey, Z Ward; Crean, Stewart, Wilson; Sheridan, Izuchukwu; McCann, Timoney, Augustus.
Replacements: Andrew, Bell, O’Toole, Hopes, B Ward, Doak, Flannery, Postlethwaite.
Yellow cards: Murphy, McCloskey
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
