Ulster snapped their two-game losing streak in the United Rugby Championship with a pulsating 32-27 victory over Irish rivals Connacht at Kingspan Stadium.

With just over two minutes on the clock on Saturday Ulster got the game’s first try.

Connacht conceded a penalty at the breakdown and Aidan Morgan kicked for the corner, from the lineout the forwards set up a driving maul with hooker John Andrew powering over. John Cooney added the extras.

Connacht responded on 11 minutes after their first sustained period of pressure in the Ulster ‘22’.

placeholder image — Ulster head coach Richie Murphy. (Photo by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker)

After a series of pick and goes on the Ulster line were repelled but drew in the home defence, Ben Murphy slung a pass wide for Shayne Bolton to go over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Ulster’s second try arrived on 20 minutes as, ultimately, centre Jude Postlewaite - who left the Emerging Ireland tour in South Africa early – stretched over the ruck to touchdown, but Cooney failed to convert.

Cooney extended Ulster’s lead with the home side’s third try on 28 minutes.

The forwards made good metres from a lineout maul, Cooney picked up at the base of a ruck and soared through a gap taking advantage of some weak tackling in the Connacht defence to go under the posts and the scrum half converted his own try.

Connacht got back in the game three minutes later. Ulster gave a penalty away in their own ‘22’, the visitors kicked to the corner and from the lineout the forwards set up a powerful maul with lock Joe Joyce touching down. Josh Ioane couldn’t convert from a tight angle.

Ulster were reduced to 14 men a minute later when winger Werner Kok was yellow-carded for a tackle in the air.

Murphy, son of Ulster coach Richie, scored a superb solo try with the clock in the red at the end of the first half.

From a line out, the scrum half received the ball and used his pace to run in from 30 metres. Ioane’s conversion cut the home side’s lead to 19-17 at the break.

Connacht flanker Sean O’Brien had a try ruled out three minutes after the restart as he was adjudged not to have grounded the ball.

Connacht lock Josh Murphy was sin-binned on 50 minutes and Ulster made their numerical advantage count as they kicked the resulting penalty to the corner.

From the maul, flanker David McCann got the bonus point try but Cooney couldn’t convert.

Connacht secured their try bonus point on the hour when replacement hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin went over from a driving maul and Ioane’s conversion tied the scores.

Momentum swung back Ulster’s way when Josh Murphy was sent off for a shoulder to the face of James McCormick on 71 minutes and Cooney restored Ulster’s lead from the resulting penalty.

Nick Timoney, on his 150th cap, sealed the victory for Ulster, scoring a fifth try off a driving maul on 77 minutes but Cooney couldn’t convert.

Ioane’s penalty with the last kick of the game gave Connacht two match points.

ULSTER: E McIlroy; W Kok, S Moore, J Postlethwaite, J Stockdale; A Morgan, J Cooney; A Warwick, J Andrew, T O’Toole; I Henderson (captain), K Treadwell; D McCann, S Reffell, N Timoney.

Replacements: J McCormick for Andrew 51 mins, C Reid for Warwick 66 mins, C Barrett for O’Toole 70 mins, A O’Connor for Henderson 15 mins, Marcus Rea for Reffell 61 mins, N Doak for Morgan 59 mins, B Carson for Postlewaite, M Lowry for Moore 70 mins.

CONNACHT: S Cordero; M Hansen, P O’Conor, B Aki, S Bolton; J Ioane, B Murphy; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Joyce, J Murphy; C Prendergast (capt), S O’Brien, P Boyle.

Replacements: D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan 56 mins, P Dooley for Buckley 56 mins, T Lasisi foe Bealham 66 mins , O Dowling for Joyce 60 mins, D O’Connor for Boyle 60 mins, C Blade for Murphy 60 mins , C Forde or Cordero 68 mins, C Oliver for O’Brien 63 mins.

Referee: A Brace (IRFU).