Connacht opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a breakaway try by Kevin Hastings, who capitalised on an Ulster mistake. The visitors, playing into the wind in the first half, then enjoyed large periods of pressure and created a number of scoring opportunities. But Ulster only had one penalty from the boot of Chris Cousens to show for all their hard work and endeavour in the first half.
Ulster started the second half brightly, with an early score from number 8 Curtis Stewart after multiple phases of pressure on the Connacht line. Cousens converted to put his side into a 5-10 lead. The pressure continued and Stewart’s back row colleague Jamie Johnson got in on the act, barging his way over from close quarters.
Connacht fought back strongly and from series of penalties, they created an unstoppable driving maul on the 22m line, Shane Faulkner to cross the whitewash. Shane Sweeney’s conversion left the game delicately poised at 12-15.
Ulster took control of the game in the final 15 minutes and Johnson got his second try of the day with a powerful run, sweeping aside a number of would-be tacklers. That unconverted score extended the lead to 12-20, and with replacement scrumhalf Lee Steenson kicking well to close out the game out, Ulster held on.
Starting XV:
1. Chris Nash (Academy)
2. Fraser Mullholland (Dromore)
3. Phil Whyte (Bangor)
4. James Carleton (Portadown)
5. David Sharkey (Clogher Valley)
6. Jamie Johnson (Enniskillen)
7. Jamie Clegg (Bangor, captain)
8. Curtis Stewart (Bangor)
9. Ali Lockhart (Donaghadee, vice captain)
10. Nick Finlay (Enniskillen)
11. Mark Widdowson (Bangor)
12. Dave Clarke (Ballyclare)
13. Mike Weir (Bangor)
14. Andy Hodgen (CIYMS)
15. Chris Cousens (Portadown)
Replacements:
16. James Blair (Academy)
17. Toby Mannus (Cooke)
18. Mark McConkey (CIYMS)
19. Paddy Aitken (CIYMS)
20. Lee Steenson (Dromore)
21. Ryan Purvis (Portadown)
22. Phil Cartmill (Cooke)