Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Ulster edge out Connacht to return to winning ways after South Africa trip

By PA
Finlay Bealham of Connacht after his side's defeat in the United Rugby Championship match between Ulster v Connacht at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ulster returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 32-27 United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht at Kingspan Stadium.

ADVERTISEMENT

The hosts, beaten in South Africa by the Lions and then the Bulls in their last two outings, bounced back thanks to 12 points from scrum-half John Cooney.

A 71st-minute red card for Josh Murphy following a shoulder to the face of James McCormick with the scores level at 24-24 proved costly for Connacht as the home side made the extra man count in the closing stages.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Ulster hooker John Andrew broke the deadlock little more than two minutes in after being propelled over from a maul, Cooney converting.

Defence

155
Tackles Made
120
32
Tackles Missed
12
83%
Tackle Completion %
91%

Winger Shayne Bolton opened Connacht’s account after 11 minutes with an unconverted try. Following a series of probes on the Ulster try-line scrum-half Ben Murphy, the son of Ulster coach Richie, threw a looping pass wide for Bolton to finish in the corner.

Ulster extended their lead after 20 minutes with a try from Jude Postlethwaite, the centre reaching out and dotting down from close range, but Cooney was off target with the conversion.

Cooney scored Ulster’s third try after 28 minutes, picking the ball up from the base of a ruck on the Connacht 22 to go under the posts, making his conversion a formality.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lock Joe Joyce got Connacht back in the game with a try from a driving maul three minutes later, but Josh Ioane could not convert from a tight angle.

Ulster had winger Werner Kok sin-binned for a tackle in the air a minute later.

Murphy showed the Ulster defence a clean pair off heels to ace over from long range with the clock in the red at the end of the first half and Ioane converted to cut Ulster’s advantage to 19-17 at the interval.

Ruck Speed

0-3 secs
36%
38%
3-6 secs
34%
41%
6+ secs
25%
17%
68
Rucks Won
84

Connacht had a try chalked off by the TMO three minutes into the second half as flanker Sean O’Brien was adjudged not to have grounded the ball.

ADVERTISEMENT

They were reduced to 14 men when lock Josh Murphy was yellow carded after 50 minutes and Ulster took immediate advantage with their bonus-point try from flanker David McCann.

The sides were level after 61 minutes as replacement hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin scored from a maul, with Ioane converting.

But then came Murphy’s sending-off and Cooney was on target with the resulting penalty.

Nick Timoney put the result beyond doubt with Ulster’s fifth try in the 78th minute before Ioane knocked over a penalty with the last kick of the game.

Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 tickets application phase is now open! Apply now.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
A
A 26 days ago

Connacht were good should have won but for some home town referee decisions. The silly take from the bbc boys was silly ex. Connacht will always come prepared to a game like that and you can expect hard knocks. Connacht played with dignity and I respect them for this and I totally expect this from them. Got the 2 bp’s and should have 🏆.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

R
RedWarrior 34 minutes ago
'Sorry Ireland, we didn't need to get motivated playing you': All Blacks great

From Peter O’Mahony’s comments to Sam Cane to Reiko Ioane’s message to Johnny Sexton last year, this is now a Test with a lot of “spice”, to which Brooke believes “if you’re going to give it out, you’ve got to take it as well.”


I think "Arrogance" is the word here.

Sledging during the match is not the same as abusing players and spectators after the final whistle.

As well as that being a nastily arrogant act, NZs inability to admit when they get things wrong is a further symptom of entitlement and arrogance.

Mocking beaten players and spectators is wrong: even when the "Great All Blacks" no ifs, no buts.

Remember NZ were too big to have a beer with a team they didn't rate, never mind swap a jersey. Perhaps time these "Humble Heroes" were brought down to earth a bit.

A truly global game like soccer, where everybody plays, and the winners are truly world class: they shake hands, they swap jerseys, they respect opponents.

1 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING New Zealand rugby commentator’s blunt All Blacks assessment New Zealand rugby commentator’s blunt All Blacks assessment
Search