Sullivan Strikes Late As Connacht Shine Brightest In Belfast

There was late drama on the opening night of the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup as replacement Peter Sullivan’s last-gasp try gave Connacht only their second win at Kingspan Stadium since 1960.

Tries from Jacob Stockdale and Rob Herring cancelled out Paul Boyle’s opener as Ulster quashed Connacht’s fast start, taking a 12-7 interval lead.

Billy Burns crossed to make it a 10-point game – a double blow saw the westerners lose Jack Carty to the sin bin – but a crisply-taken brace from Caolin Blade, the player-of-the-match, handed his side a 21-17 advantage.

In what was a hugely entertaining interprovincial clash, Ulster replacement David Shanahan scampered over in the 72nd minute – only for Sullivan to snatch a breathless victory, soon after a successful captain’s challenge from Connacht.

Having covered an early Robert Baloucoune kick through, Andy Friend’s men produced a strong set of phases off a penalty, gobbling up the metres before captain barged in under the posts, between two defenders.

Carty converted the seventh-minute try, and with a second lineout steal, Connacht kept coming forward in a physical opening salvo. Openside Conor Oliver was particularly prominent.

Nick Timoney led the way for Ulster, who narrowly avoided coughing up a second try to the ever-threatening Blade before bouncing back in the 23rd minute.

Their pack, including fit-again skipper Iain Henderson, provided the platform, and good hands from the half-backs released Stockdale for the left corner.

John Cooney’s missed conversion left Connacht leading by two points, but Ulster were beginning to force the issue. Timoney’s marauding run deserved a try, but Oliver claimed a vital interception in front of the visitors’ posts.

Nonetheless, Connacht were made to pay for indiscipline in their own 22, which allowed the Ulstermen to power through at maul time for hooker Herring to score. Cooney converted from the right for a 12-7 scoreline.

The hosts, who have a European Challenge Cup semi-final in Leicester next week, began the second period in strong fashion. James Hume’s break provided the penetration and Cooney followed up with the assist to send Burns over out wide.

Busy referee Andrew Brace binned Carty for a deliberate knock-on during the build-up to Ulster’s third try, but with big back rower Abraham Papali’i having the desired impact off the bench, the yellow card mattered little in the end.

The Auckland-born powerhouse used scrum ball to bounce off Burns’ attempted tackle, and Blade brilliantly picked from the ruck, scything through into the 22 and cutting around both Baloucoune and Will Addison to dive over for a sizzling seven-pointer.

Papali’i continued to swat away tackles as Connacht went in search of the lead score. Olive and Ultan Dillane both went very close before Blade burrowed over from inches out in the 63rd minute.

Following TMO confirmation, Tom Daly knocked over the conversion to put four between them. Into the final 10 minutes, Baloucoune lost the ball forward as a great run from deep by Addison created a gilt-edged opportunity.

Ulster did not have long to wait for their next chance and they took it with both hands. An excellent break by Michael Lowry, 40 metres out, saw him send the supporting Shanahan in beside the posts. Lowry’s conversion pushed it out to 24-21.

Nonetheless, a fired-up Connacht had more in the tank as they sought to end a recent run of four straight defeats towards the end of the PRO14 campaign.

Oliver clamped on to earn a turnover penalty, and Eoghan Masterson was rewarded for a subsequent captain’s challenge as Lowry was penalised for stripping the ball on the ground.

Connacht’s replacement out-half Conor Fitzgerald had made a fine break before that, dashing through midfield, and the Limerick native went on to have a decisive say in the derby’s outcome.

It was Fitzgerald’s deft 83rd-minute kick that bounced awkwardly for the unfortunate Addison on his return to action with Ulster, allowing Sullivan to swoop in to ground the ball just before the end line.