Small margins, but big rewards - Ulster, in turning over Connacht in Galway, have leapt into the URC top eight - denying their opponents the same opportunity.
Primed for a festive occasion, Pete Wilkins’ Connacht, despite home advantage, were disappointing, and they now face an uphill battle, having fallen into 13th place with just three wins from nine.
Margins are fine in this season’s championship. Both clubs were on 18 points with just three wins before kick-off at Dexcom Stadium, but now the divide has widened, putting pressure on Connacht to deliver in the second half of the season.
Connacht were not helped when losing hooker Dave Heffernan and Darragh Murray before kick-off, while Ulster’s John Andrew replaced Rob Herring, but Ulster’s aggressive start was a clear signal of how they were to play this fixture.
Defensively the visitors dominated. Despite Connacht putting themselves into position to score, they struggled to keep their hands on the ball in the right areas of the pitch. In contrast Ulster were eventually rewarded for their aggressive line-speed when, after several drives to the line, Eric O’Sullivan scored a try on 10 minutes, converted by Nathan Doak.
The visitors maintained their dominance as Connacht struggled to get to grips with Ulster’s physicality, and forcing a penalty after 14 minutes, Ulster’s Doak stroked his kick through the posts, putting his side into a 0-10 lead.
It took Connacht some 25 minutes before they were able maintain some continuity, putting the ball thorough the hands, but it stymied with a penalty against Aki.
Ulster’s aggressive defensive continued to keep Connacht’s backs at bay, but the home side’s superior scrum looked the mostly likely route to deprive their opponents of possession. It provided some element of control, having struggled earlier with line-out possession, but again lack of accuracy and mounting mistakes hampered their efforts.
Eventually a superb kick from Jack Carty provided the opportunity, and Mack Hansen was in position to claim possession and race through for a try after 35 minutes, with the outhalf adding the extras to go into the break just three behind.
The home side upped their urgency in the second half, winning a penalty which should have provided the home side with a score, but frustratingly the final pass, with the line within reach, went into touch.
Although Carty’s super kicking kept Connacht in the game, they continued to be denied by their own lack of clinical efficiency and Ulster’s defence. It kept the visitors on the front foot, and from a 52nd minute penalty kicked to touch, Richie Murphy’s men produced a clinical drive with Nick Timoney delivering. Doak conversion created a sizeable buffer between the two sides that in the end proved enough to take the spoils.
Connacht’s Sean Jansen did his best to lead the challenge, while Connacht replacement scrumhalf Ben Murphy added impetus - making it a special evening for the Murphy family, although divided, with father Richie and younger brother Jack on the winning Ulster side. But Connacht’s efforts to get back into the game were either stymied by Ulster or their own lack of clinical efficiency.
Shane Jennings stood out in the Connacht backline, Mack Hansen did his best with a chip over the top near the try line, which resulted in a scrum in the front of the posts in the 73rd minute opportunity. But once again Ulster prevailed - forcing the Connacht front row backwards .
It ensured Ulster secured the vital points to join the top eight; Connacht consigned to unlucky 13.
Scoring sequence: 11m O’Sullivan try, Murphy con 0-7’ 14m Doak pen 0-10; 35m Hansen try, Carty con 7-10. HT 7-10. Timoney try, Doak con 7-17.
Connacht: P O’Conor, M Hansen, C Forde, B Aki, S Cordero, J Carty, C Blade, D Buckley, D Tierney-Martin, F Bealham, J Murphy, N Murray, C Prendergast (CAPT ), S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle.
Replacements: S Jansen for Boyle and O Dowling for Murphy (52 ), B Murphy for Blade (58 ), S Jennings for Carty (60 ), P Dooley for Buckley and E De Buitlear for Tierney Martin, and J Aungier for Bealham (all 62 ), O Dowling, S Jansen for Murphy (52 ), C Oliver for Hurley-langton (67 ), Buckley for Dooley (73 ).
Ulster: M Lowry, W Kok , B Carson, J Postlethwaite, R Telfer, J Murphy, N Doak, E O’Sullivan, J Andrews, S Wilson, A O’Connor (CAPT ), C Izuchukwu, M Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney.
Replacements: J McCormack for Andrew (12 - 27 ), A Warwick for O’Sullivan (40 ), W De Klerk for Kok (42 ), D McCann for Rea (49 ), C Barrett for Wilson and McCormack for Andrew (63 ), H Sheridan for Treadwell (68 ).
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU ).
