Ulster 17

Connacht 7      

By JOHN FALLON AT DEXCOM STADIUM

CONNACHT have delivered many highs and lows at the Sportsground over the decades but it’s hard to recall a defeat generating as much dismay as this one, but supporters who stand and brave the elements at the College Road venue are no fools and they know this season’s URC campaign is as good as dead in the water at the half-way stage.

The new shining €40m Dexcom Stadium will have plenty of empty spaces if supporters don’t have something to buy into. Bear in mind that fans will an alternative night-time venue in the city to interest them when the floodlights are turned on for Galway hurlers and footballers in a few weeks.

Connacht fans have always been the least demanding of all the four provinces but Saturday night’s failure to really fire a shot against an understrength Ulster side who were facing their own crisis after losing five on the spin — and not least as the ramifications of this fixture were well aired from within the camp all week — seems to have released a fusillade of dismay.

The hosts were chasing the game from the outset when Ulster laid down an early marker but head coach Pete Wilkins and his management were left to rue the cost of sloppy errors.

“We created some really good moments, particularly in that second half, but we’re either forcing a pass too many or just not aligned in terms of what we’re trying to achieve in that top third of the field and as a result of that, we coughed the ball up and we weren’t able to turn it into points,” he said.

Ulster led 10-7 at the break, having started the game superbly and dominated the opening quarter when Connacht just could not get their hands on the ball on a perfect night for rugby in Galway.

Connacht struggled with Ulster’s early blitz and when out-half Jack Murphy, in his first start, executed a brilliant 50:22 after a knock-on by Bundee Aki after two minutes, the visitors penned Wilkins’ side deep inside their own half.

Pictured: Connacht’s Denis Buckley tries to halt the progress of Ulster’s James McNabney during Saturday’s URC clash at Dexcom Stadium.