Ulster defeat leaders Connacht 18-10 in Guinness PRO12
By Matthew Treadwell
Last Updated: 03/04/16 2:47pm
Ulster climbed above Munster into fourth place in the Guinness PRO12 table after defeating leaders Connacht 18-10 on Friday night.
The hosts took control of the contest in the first half, as two penalties from Paddy Jackson and a try from Ireland hooker Rory Best gave them a comfortable lead.
Connacht rallied and despite hitting the upright with his first penalty attempt, Shane O'Leary sent one between the posts in added time in the opening period to reduce the interval deficit to 11-3.
Ulster regained control soon after the restart, though, as winger Craig Gilroy's try was converted by Jackson.
Connacht refused to buckle and scored their only try of the night through replacement Coalin Blade on 54 minutes, with O'Leary duly adding the extras.
That proved to be the final score of the night with Ulster remaining top of the pile, a situation that could change if Leinster defeat Munster in a game which can be seen live on Sky Sports.
Ulster got things going on the scoreboard when Jackson kicked a fifth-minute penalty after Connacht hooker Tom McCartney was penalised for coming in from the side.
Gilroy then picked off a loose pass from Bundee Aki and with the visitors trying to run the ball out of their own 22, Ulster won a penalty at the breakdown which Jackson slotted over.
The hosts had to work hard to deny Connacht after several dangerous sorties near their line before they began to cause problems of their own again.
A penalty given away by Connacht back-row John Muldoon saw Jackson put the ball in the corner and from Franco van der Merwe's take, the home side mauled their way over with Best claiming the touchdown, but Jackson failed to convert as his kick hit the post.
O'Leary also found the upright with a 39th-minute penalty from an Ulster scrum but the fly-half made no mistake with his next shot to close the home side's lead to eight points at the break.
Gilroy was on hand to extend Ulster's lead in the second half, however, with the winger keeping an O'Leary touch-finder off a penalty in play.
Peter Browne took control and then Jackson's pass to Payne led to the full-back off-loading to put Gilroy in at the corner.
Jackson converted to put the home side 18-3 in front but then had Andrew Trimble yellow-carded for an intentional knock-on.
Connacht, now releasing their bench, then worked substitute Blade over for a well-worked score with the scrum-half scoring off his first touch courtesy of Eoin McKeon and Muldoon.
O'Leary's conversion narrowed it to 18-10 just before Trimble came back.
Ulster looked to kill the game off and after being encamped in Connacht's 22, Best was held up over the line in the 65th minute before departing for treatment having clashed heads with Matt Healy.
O'Leary was subsequently shown yellow for a high tackle on Gilroy 10 minutes from time and was quickly followed by substitute flanker Sean O'Brien for interfering with a pass two minutes later.
But despite being reduced to 13 men, Connacht resisted Ulster's surges towards their line as the clock ticked down.
Watch Leinster v Munster on Saturday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports 3 HD at 5pm.
