Ian Madigan masterclass inspires Ulster to win in Galway

The win moves Dan McFarland’s side seven points clear at the top of Conference B, but Leinster have two games in hand.

Outhalf Ian Madigan gave a masterclass in kicking landing six penalties and two conversions as Ulster rallied from 14-9 down at half time.

Ulster took the lead on two minutes with a Madigan penalty after Connacht centre Tom Daly was punished for not rolling away at the breakdown.

Madigan doubled Ulster’s lead with his second penalty in the 11th minute after Connacht again fell foul of the referee at the breakdown.

Connacht though took the lead on 21 minutes following a good break by the Matt Healy, the forwards rumbled close to the line before prop Finlay Bealham was stopped short.

From the resulting five metre scrum Ulster conceded a penalty, and the visitors conceded another two scrum penalties earning loose head prop Kyle McCall a yellow card.

From the fourth scrum Connacht moved the ball wide and outhalf Jack Carty was able to hold off Nick Timoney’s tackle to stretch over and touch down, and he converted his own try from a tight angle.

Madigan restored Ulster’s lead with another penalty four minutes later after Ultan Dillane infringed at the lineout.

The lead changed hands again in the 28th minute. From a lineout in midfield the Connacht forwards made the hard yards to carry the ball into the Ulster 22, the home side kept it tight before they went wide with Tiernan O’Halloran and Healy combining to put winger John Porch over in the corner.

Carty’s conversion gave Connacht a 14-9 half time lead.

Flanker Jordi Murphy scored Ulster’s first try on 49 minutes.

From a lineout in the Connacht 22 the forwards couldn’t make much ground, scrum half Alby Mathewson made a line break, the former All Black was stopped short but the openside powered over from close range and Madigan’s conversion put the visitor’s back in front.

Ulster struck again five minutes later, Connacht couldn’t secure their own line out ball, the visitors moved the ball across the pitch with Michael Lowry and Craig Gilroy having probing runs, flanker Greg Jones showed soft hands to feed Timoney, the No8 blasted through Porch to get over the whitewash with Madigan converting.

Connacht got back in the game on 62 minutes, they kicked a penalty to the corner, Caolin Blade and Dave Heffernan were both heavily involved before Daly exposed a gap in the Ulster defence to dart over, but Carty missed the conversion.

Madigan’s penalty on 65 minutes gave Ulster a seven point advantage.

The outhalf though spurned the opportunity to extend Ulster’s lead as he missed a 71st minute penalty.

However, Madigan landed his fifth penalty four minutes later to put Ulster 10 points clear.

And he slotted over another penalty with two minutes remaining to wrap up a great win on the road for Ulster.

Connacht: T O’Halloran, J Porch, S Arnold, T Daly, M Healy, J Carty, C Blade, D Buckley, S Delahunt, F Bealham, U Dillane, Q Roux, E Masterson, C Oliver, J Butler,

Replacements: D Heffernan for Delahunt 56 mins, J Duggan for Buckley 50 mins, D Robertson-McCoy for Bealham 56 mins, G Thornbury for Roux 56 mins, S Masterson, K Marmion for Blade 68 mins, S O’Brien for de Buitlear 52 mins, de Buitléar for O’Halloran 31 mins

Ulster: M Lowry, C Gilroy, J Hume, S Moore, E McIlroy, I Madigan, A Mathewson, K McCall, J Andrew, T O’Toole, A O’Connor, K Treadwell, G Jones, J Murphy, Nick Timoney

Replacements: B Roberts for Andrew 68 mins, A Warwick for McCall 29 mins, M Moore for O’Toole 52 mins, D O’Connor for Treadwell 69 mins, M Rea for Jones 69 mins, D Shanahan, B Moxham for S Moore 63 mins, M Faddes for Gilroy 65 mins

Ref S Gallagher (IRFU)