Late Connacht surge falls just short as Ulster claim victory at Sportsground

Two tries from Tom Stewart helped Ulster build a 22-8 lead after 78 minutes, but they had to withstand an astonishing late rally from Connacht

Fri, 23 Dec, 2022 - 21:49

John Fallon

Connacht 20 Ulster 22

Ulster hooker Tom Stewart praised his men after they turned around their disastrous run of results in December to carve out victory at the Sportsground in a game that provided a remarkable finish.

Two tries from Stewart helped Ulster build a 22-8 lead after 78 minutes, but they had to withstand an astonishing late rally from Connacht which produced two tries and left Jack Carty with an 85th minute conversion from the right to tie the contest but much to his dismay, the wind pulled the kick wide of the left post and Ulster survived to end a three-match losing run.

“We spoke all week that this would be an emotional battle as much as a physical one and the boys are just delighted to get the win here,” said Stewart.

Ulster led 5-3 at the end of a scrappy opening half which was largely played in the middle third of the pitch as both sides struggled to build phases.

Both defences were solid but struggled in attack with a heavy mist making handling difficult as the half progressed with neither side managing to get on top.

Ulster had a swirling wind behind and difficult to utilise, with the Connacht back three capably dealing with anything which came their way from the Ulster half-backs, with Nathan Doak settling into his unfamiliar out-half role.

There was a lot riding on this game for both sides, with Connacht trying to get into contention for a Champions Cup place after a disastrous opening, while Ulster to stem an horrendous run of results this December.

That may have contributed to the nervous opening by both sides and while there was a decent scrap on the ground for possession, the Christmas attendance got little cheer in the opening 40 minutes.

Mistakes were constant but both sides struggled to punish them. Ethan McIlroy intercepted a Carty pass going into the second quarter inside halfway but the winger was easily nabbed by the out-half to avert the danger.

Ulster, enjoying marginally more possession, eventually hit the front after 28 minutes. A penalty to touch down the left by Doak after Connacht hooker Shane Delahunt was pinged for offside, set up a good platform inside the 22.

The ball was recycled a few times and a with a penalty advantage after Niall Murray was penalised for offside, Ulster worked the ball through the hands and a superb offload by hooker Tom Stewart fed McIlroy and Luke Marshall and when his pass was knocked backwards by Connacht full-back Tiernan O’Halloran, winger Rob Lyttle pounced to score in the left corner.

John Cooney’s conversion from the left went across goal and wide.

Connacht hit back and six minutes later Carty cut the gap with a penalty in front of the posts after Stuart McCloskey went offside asd Connacht tried to work the ball across the pitch after a penalty to the right corner by the home skipper and that left it 5-3 to Ulster at the interval.

Ulster took over after the restart and piled on the pressure and while Connacht defended the onslaught initially, the visitors finally found a way through with a penalty to the left corner and then a good maul which hooker Stewart finished. Cooney added the extras to extend the lead to 12-3 after 45 minutes.

Both sides started to empty their benches but the momentum remained with Ulster as they cut down the error count and built opportunities.

Marty Moore was stopped short after another sustained bout of pressure but it was inevitable Ulster would pull further ahead and they did after 54 minutes when their maul again delivered.

Once again it was Stewart who supplied the finish for his seventh try of the season off another lineout, with Cooney converting to make it 17-3.

Stewart looked set to complete his hat-trick after 66 minutes after another maul from a penalty to the left corner but was stopped short.

Connacht got a glimmer of hope going into the final quarter when their own maul made ground after a penalty to the left and scrum-half Caolin Blade sniped superbly to get over. Carty pulled the conversion wide on the near side, leaving Ulster 19-8 ahead before Cooney extended the lead to 22-8 with a penalty eight minutes from time in what proved to be a crucial decision.

Jarrad Butler got a late try after one from Cian Prendergast had been ruled out, with Carty’s conversion in front of the posts salvaging a bonus point at that stage in the final minute after Ulster replacement Greg Jones had been binned.

But there was still time for one more phase and Connacht made it count, pounding the Ulster line before Carty put Adam Byrne over in the right in the 85th minute.

That left two between them and while Carty’s conversion looked to be on target, the wind caught it and much to his and the home crowd’s dismay, it went the wrong side of the left post.

Connacht scorers:

Tries: C Blade, C Prendergast, A Byrne Con: J Carty Pen: Carty

Ulster scorers:

Tries: T Stewart (2),R Lyttle Cons: J Cooney (2) Pen: Cooney

Connacht: T O’Halloran (A Byrne 55); J Porch, T Farrell, B Aki (D Hawkshaw 61), M Hansen; J Carty, C Blade (K Marmion 69); D Buckley (P Dooley 53), S Delahunt (D Heffernan 49), F Bealham (D Roberston-McCoy 54-63, 69); J Murphy (J Butler 49), N Murray; O Dowling, C Oliver (S Hurley-Langton 52, C Prendergast.

Ulster: M Lowry (S Moore 41); E McIlroy, L Marshall (J Flannery 80), S McCloskey, R Lyttle; N Doak, J Cooney (D Shanahan 80); R Sutherland (E O’Sullivan 65), T Stewart (J Andrew 80), M Moore (G Milasinovich 52); A O'Connor, I Henderson; D McCann (G Jones 58), M Rea, N Timoney.

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland).

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