'It's important we keep going after the game': Ulster's Richie Murphy delighted to clinch victory at Connacht

Ulster had to survive a late fight back from the westerners before Jack Murphy’s late penalty secured a 29-24 victory.

For a third consecutive game Ulster held a double-digit lead going into the final quarter – but unlike the Cardiff and Leinster games – Murphy’s side were able to get over the line.

Ulster had led 26-10 with 14 minutes remaining but Connacht hit back with two converted tries before Murphy’s three pointer.

“Absolutely delighted,” stated Murphy. “At the end, we're hanging on there, you're also very aware that we're in Connacht and Connacht are hurting from last weekend. They're never going to give up without a fight.

“We’ll look at it as a way of how do we get better in this final 20 minutes. Realistically, we've just got to keep doing the things we were doing earlier in the half, it just kind of went into our shell a little bit, it’s really important that we keep going after the game.”

Ulster had their bonus point wrapped up 12 minutes after half-time.

Murphy added: “Cagey enough sort of first 10 or 15 minutes and then obviously Connacht got that early score and then got another one.

“To get back in at 12-10 at half-time, I thought we actually played some really good rugby in that second period of before half-time where we started moving the ball and bringing some of our big outside backs into the game. They're a handful for any team, we started moving the ball to space and we were much more effective with ball in hand.

“We rotated and obviously brought in two international standard props at half-time. That was what we were thinking about, getting them on there early in order to give us a little bit of carry power and both of them were very effective and done quite well for us in that second half.

“I thought for the middle period of the game...from 20 minutes or 25 minutes in the first half into 20 minutes 25 minutes in the second half, I thought we saw some of the quality of rugby that we can play.”

Murphy praised the performance of man-of-the-match Cormac Izuchukwu.

“He's an incredible athlete, at 6 foot 7 and around 120 kilos, he runs as quick as an outside back,” he continued.

“He runs as quick as a winger, there's not too many physical players or physical freaks in some ways like that.

“He's really good in the loose, his handling is very good, a lot of credit has to go into the work he does around the defensive line-out, which is something he's picked up over the last year and a half, he's done really well in that area.”

Ulster remained fifth in the URC table after the win in Galway but have a match in hand over the top four.

Murphy now turns his attentions to the visit to Ravenhill of second-placed Munster on Friday night.

“Munster next week is a totally different game,” he reflected.

"We've been on the road for three weeks, in Cardiff, we lost that game late, in Leinster, we lost that game late.

“It was really important that we put our best foot forward against Connacht.”

Murphy gave an update on South African back row Juarno Augutus after he departed on a cart after 65 minutes.

“It's an ankle sprain, I'm not saying he's going to be back next week, but it's not as serious as it first looked,” he clarified.

Meanwhile, in the local scene, Ballynahinch beat Instonians 19-14 to win the Senior Cup.