Five-Try Ulster Finish On Top Against 14-Man Connacht

A 75th-minute maul try from Nick Timoney sealed Ulster’s return to winning ways in the BKT United Rugby Championship, as Connacht were left to rue their indiscipline in a 32-27 defeat at Kingspan Stadium.

Josh Murphy saw yellow and red during the second half, with Ulster scoring 13 points during the Connacht lock’s absence. Murphy was dismissed in the 71st minute for a high off-the-ball challenge on James McCormick.

It was 19-17 to Richie Murphy’s men at half-time, with John Andrew, Emerging Ireland’s Jude Postlethwaite, and player-of-the-match John Cooney having their tries cancelled out by Shayne Bolton, Joe Joyce, and Ben Murphy, Richie’s eldest son.

Dave McCann and Dylan Tierney-Martin swapped tries, both from lineout maul, with a Josh Ioane conversion drawing the sides level at 24-all. Connacht sensed an opportunity to make it four wins in nine visits to Belfast.

However, a Cooney penalty and Timoney’s close-range score, coming on the back of Josh Murphy’s sending-off, took Ulster out of reach with only minutes left.

The westerners, who were chasing their third victory in a row, did bring two bonus points back west. Kiwi out-half Ioane nailed a three-pointer with the final kick of a compelling derby.

Despite Connacht captain Cian Prendergast stealing the game’s first lineout, Ulster swiftly struck for the opening try on the back of Tom O’Toole forcing a penalty at the breakdown.

Ulster skipper Iain Henderson took down Andrew’s lineout throw, and a well-directed drive from 10 metres out, which both Werner Kok and Jude Postlethwaite joined, ended with the hooker squeezing over.

Cooney’s first kick of the night turned it into a seven-pointer, an encouraging start which warmed the home support. Connacht built well in response, though, as a couple of penalties put them within striking distance.

Pete Wilkins’ charges chipped away via a scrum free-kick, with Piers O’Conor going close, before Ioane’s arcing delivery had Bolton diving in low for the left corner, past Aidan Morgan’s tackle.

The visitors threatened again soon after, with a Josh Murphy turnover leading to Mack Hansen and Bolton gaining ground out wide. This time Ethan McIlroy was able to tackle Bolton into touch.

Once back in Connacht territory, Ulster counter-rucked for number 8 Timoney to steal possession. As the rain came down heavily, a determined maul, coupled with some robust close-in carrying, led to the home side moving 12-5 ahead.

Kok was right in the thick of it, helping to retain possession before Postlethwaite, fresh from the Emerging Ireland tour, lunged over a ruck to register his first senior try for Ulster, who were now without Henderson (HIA).

The gap was briefly out to 14 points after another penalty against Connacht invited the Ulstermen into their 22. Lineout possession was secured, and Cooney sniped around the side of a subsequent ruck, handing off Hansen for a classy solo score which he converted himself.

The Connacht forwards replied to that try barely three minutes later, as experienced lock Joyce managed to muscle over from a maul. Ioane pulled his conversion attempt wide on the near left side.

Ulster lost Kok to the sin bin straight from the restart, as he took out Josh Murphy in the air. The tackling of McIlroy and Stewart Moore prevented Connacht from making much headway until a late Prendergast-won penalty.

23-year-old scrum half Murphy seized his chance, dummying to pass from the lineout, nearly 40 metres out. He slipped past Alan O’Connor initially and evaded the chasing Cooney for a terrific individual effort. Ioane added the extras to leave just two points in it.

Connacht had an early second half try ruled out, with Moore and McCann doing just enough to hold up Sean O’Brien. Bolton had set the wheels in motion with another strong burst down the left touchline.

McCann got his hands to the ball, helping the Ulstermen – including Alan O’Connor and Andrew Warwick on the occasion of their 200th provincial caps – to swiftly turn defence into attack.

Kicks from Jacob Stockdale and replacement Ben Carson led to a furious chase, and Connacht had to scramble back, conceding a five-metre lineout in the process.

Despite the Ulster maul coughing up turnover ball, Connacht half-back Murphy knocked on from the scrum and was driven into touch by McCann and Stockdale, sparking some pushing and shoving with a number of players getting involved.

Hansen was penalised in the end, and Josh Murphy’s efforts to collapse the subsequent Ulster maul landed him in the bin. Hooker Andrew was denied a second try, but McCann reached over from a 50th-minute ruck to seal the hosts’ bonus point.

Ulster were winning the defensive battles towards the end of the third quarter, and Kok leaped highest to collect a Cooney box kick. Connacht were dangerous on the counter, as Bolton chasing his own kick and forced McIlroy into a hurried clearance.

Replacement Tierney-Martin bagged the bonus point from the resulting maul, with centres Bundee Aki and O’Conor rowing in behind him. Ioane tagged on the conversion, making it 24-all with 18 minutes left on the clock.

Connacht were now spending more time into the opposition half, and a clever Santiago Cordero kick had Nathan Doak under pressure close to Ulster’s try-line. He won a relieving penalty, but was turned over a couple of minutes later following Oisin Dowling’s bone-crunching tackle.

Nonetheless, at a key stage of the match, Connacht were their own worst enemies. A delayed lineout saw them hand possession back to Ulster, and then Josh Murphy’s shoulder connected with McCormick’s head at the side of a ruck.

Referee Andrew Brace produced his red card after reviewing the incident with TMO Olly Hodges. Cooney’s crisp strike from the tee edged Ulster back in front in the 71st minute – 27-24.

Having been caught with a high tackle himself, Ioane overcooked a penalty kick to touch and the ball went dead. Covering out wide, he had to concede a close-in lineout when Ulster moved downfield at pace, firstly through Michael Lowry’s purposeful run before a Carson kick had McIlroy haring after it.

Backs and forwards combined for the maul from which Timoney sprung over for the match-winning score in the left corner. Ioane managed to salvage a second bonus point for Connacht, as Stockdale knocked on from the restart and the home scrum was penalised.