Ulster continue home winning record with five point win over Connacht

Connacht second rower Josh Murphy received a straight red card, after already receiving a yellow, for a high tackle.

Sat, 12 Oct, 2024 - 22:26

Tom Nelson

URC: Ulster 32 Connacht 27

What this interprovincial lacked in quality it made up for with a game full of endeavour and commitment which was only secured for Ulster late on.

Nick Timoney’s 75th minute try made the difference in a clash from which Ulster took five points following scores by John Andrew, Jude Postlethwaite, John Cooney and David McCann.

But Connacht who had Josh Murphy red carded in the 71st minute left the Kingspan with two points after Shayne Bolton, Joe Joyce, Ben Murphy – son of Ulster coach Richie – and Dylan Tierney-Martin had touched down having battled back from trailing 19-5 to tie the match at 24-24.

Two minutes in and Ulster had the perfect start as John Andrew was got over from a driving maul after Aidan Morgan had put a first minute penalty into the corner. John Cooney converted.

But Connacht gathered themselves and had their own score on 11 minutes when after Piers O’Conor was held just short after the westerners had run a free kick, Josh Ioane threw a cut out pass for Shayne Bolton to smash his way through to the corner.

Ioane missed the conversion from the trickly angle to keep Ulster just in front.

The hosts hit back on 20 minutes when Jude Postlethwaite drove through from close range after Ulster had launched a driving maul from another penalty put to the corner though Cooney was just wide with the extras.

Seven minutes later, Ulster had try number three with Cooney the scorer, the scrum half racing through from the side of a ruck with Connacht’s breakdown defence having gone missing.

This time Cooney was never missing after running in under the sticks and Ulster now led 19-5.

Following another penalty against Ulster, Connacht hit the corner, won the lineout and rather easily mauled over the line for Joe Joyce to claim the touchdown on 31 minutes.

Though, Ioane was well wide from the tee and then from the restart, it was advantage Connacht as Werner Kok was yellow carded for taking out Josh Murphy in the air.

Right on half-time, and with Ulster looking to make the sheds without conceding, they coughed up another penalty but were then marched back further yardage backchat.

It looked costly and so it proved. The ball from the lineout after Connacht had put the ball to touch came off the top from Cian Prendergast, and Ben Murphy dummied, stepped and carved through Ulster’s lineout to dash away to the line without a hand laid on him.

Just to make matters worse for Ulster – and doubtless for Ben Murphy’s father Richie – Ioane then converted for the first time and the northern province ended the half leading by just 19-17.

Four minutes into the new half and with Kok just returned, Sean O’Brien was awarded a score only for it to be chalked off via the TMO’s involvement.

Then on 50 minutes and with Josh Murphy yellow carded, Ulster made the man advantage count from a driving maul, David McCann spotting a gap and dotting down for the bonus point try though Cooney, once again, couldn’t convert.

Ten minutes later, Connacht took ownership of their own try bonus when Dylan Tierney-Martin burrowed over from another driving maul and the scores were then levelled through Ioane’s excellent conversion.

But with just 10 minutes Josh Murphy’s smash on James McCormick’s head resulted in a red card for the Connacht lock forcing the westerners to finish with 14 on the field.

From the penalty, Cooney nailed the three points.

That gave Ulster some added belief against the visitors and after it was no surprise that they manufactured a try from another lineout near the Connacht line.

Nick Timoney was the scorer after he peeled off and dived over with Mack Hansen caught watching. Cooney again missed but at 32-24 Ulster again looked odds-on winners.

But another penalty allowed Ioane slot a last-gasp penalty to bring them two bonus points from the defeat.

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

Replacements: J McCormick for Andrew 53mins, C Reid for Warwick 66mins, C Barrett for O’Toole 70mins, A O’Connor for Henderson 14mins, Marcus Rea for Reffell 60mins, N Doak for Morgan 58mins, B Carson for Postlethwaite 31mins, M Lowry for Moore 73mins.

Yellow cards: Kok 32

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 56mins, P Dooley for Buckley 56mins, T Lasisi for Bealham 11-18mins, 66mins, O Dowling for Joyce 61mins, D O’Connor for Boyle 61mins, C Blade for Murphy 63mins, C Forde for mins, C Oliver for O’Brien 63mins.

Yellow cards: J Murphy 49

Red card: J Murphy 71

Referee: A Brace (IRFU)