Connacht complete Guinness PRO14 double over Ulster

Connacht completed a first ever season Guinness PRO14 double over Ulster with a deserved win in Galway on Friday night.

It was an error strewn game throughout, but Connacht made the most of their chances to secure a rare double - they now have won the last three meetings between the Provinces - over the Northerners.

Indeed, Andy Friend will probably rue not picking up a try scoring bonus point in spite of going down to 14 men for 10 minutes in the second half, Ulster unable to capitalise on that period and at least have pressed for a losing bonus point having come from 14-7 down at the break and 21-7 in the second half.

It was a frenetic start with a lot of sloppy play from both Provinces.

Connacht soon began to get the upper hand and from a penalty to touch and off a lineout the driving maul eventually hooker Shane Delahunt going over to open the scoring after drives from Butler and Carey.

Connacht outhalf made it 7-0 with the successful conversion on 12 minutes.

Ulster’s scrum was under serious pressure, penalised continually and as the hosts pressed once again near the visitors line, after three scrums - two which were from penalties - centre Bundee Aki took a straight line and sent right over the top of Johnny McPhillips and took another player over the line with him to make it 12-0. Carty’s conversion doubled their lead after 20 minutes.

Ulster finally sprung into life and a kickable penalty on 27 minutes was turned down to go for the corner.

The home defence held, although prop Denis Buckley was penalised from coming in from the side.

The penalty was popped into touch again and Ulster put the drive on once more. This time lock Quin Roux came in from the side, but advantage was played and the visitors were probably fortunate to get the try on 32 minutes.

McPhillips’ crossfield kick was poorly executed but Connacht winger Kelleher fumbled in the air and as the ball bounced around Angus Kernohan was quickest to react to getting a hand on the ball.

John Cooney delivered a perfect touchline conversion to reduced the arrears to 14-7 while Roux was fortunate not to have been going to the sin-bin - getting a warning from referee Marius Mitrea.

Ulster had started the second half positively, Nagle stealing ball after Leader had lost an aerial ball, but it was Connacht who seized an unexpected opportunity as Ulster were caught napping after a chip ahead from Goodwin.

Jack Carty chased and gathered and popped the pass inside to grateful scrumhalf Caolin Blade who had to simply walk in for the try. Carty converted the 42nd minute try, but missed a long range penalty effort five minutes later.

Ulster changed their two props after that scrum penalty and Stuart McCloskey and Peter Nelson were introduced for Kenohan and McPhillips respectively. Greg Jones was also a permanent replacement for Marcell Coetzee who had gone off HIA five minutes into the second half.

The error strewn play from both sides in the first half continued although Ulster did have one decent sortie close to the Connacht posts, but had ball turned over at the critical time.

Speight’s last game in an Ulster shirt ended early, replaced by Dave Shanahan which forced Ulster to reshuffle the backline, Cooney moving to outhalf and Nelson out to the wing.

As the hour mark arrived, Ulster were beginning to get some territory and possession, but were held by the home defence, although they were continually warned for taking men out in two lineouts and coming in from the side.

Eventually referee Mitrea had enough and replacement Ultane Dillane was sin-binned. Ulster responded immediately at a lineout, driving Connacht back and Jordi Murphy crashed over, Cooney unable to add the extras from the touchline leaving his side two scores behind with 12 minutes left.

From the restart, Timoney was unable to gather the ball and Connacht found themselves in a great position inside the Ulster ‘22’.

After 11 phases Ulster had held them out but finally conceded the penalty, which was popped to touch.

Connacht game again with a strong driving maul but this time Ulster halted it and won the scrum.

But the Westerners came again and kept Ulster in their own ‘22’ but were again unable to push for the fourth try.

Ulster ended on the attack, but good scrambling from Connacht was to deny them getting a losing bonus point.

TEAMS

CONNACHT: D Leader, C Kelleher, T Farrell, B Aki, K Godwin, J Carty, C Blade; D Buckley, S Delahunt, C Carey, G Thornbury, Q Roux, S O'Brien, C Fainga'a, J Butler (capt).

Replacements:D Heffernan (Delahunt 53), P McCabe (Buckley 66), D Robertson-McCoy (Carey HT), U Dillane (Roux 66), P Boyle (Butler 62), J Mitchell (Blade 77), D Horwitz (Carty 77), S Fitzgerald (Goodwin 62).

ULSTER: L Ludik; H Speight, W Addison, D Cave, A Kernohan; J McPhillips, J Cooney; E O'Sullivan, R Herring (capt), M Moore, I Nagle, K Treadwell, N Timoney, J Murphy, M Coetzee.

Replacements: A McBurney (Herring 77), T O'Hagan (O’Sullivan 48), R Kane (Moore 48), C Ross (Nagle 77), G Jones (Coetzee 45), D Shanahan (Speight 59), P Nelson (McPhillips 51), S McCloskey (Kernohan 45), O’Hagan (O’Sullivan 66)