Connacht vs Ulster sportsground 18:00 TG4/BBCNI

Korat

Hell of a catch by Diack, I thought that was going all the way over.

vkid

Not the most riveting game really.. felt that ulster score coming for a while..

Triumvirate

That's game. Nick Williams with the try and probably deserves MOTM for the amount of times he has shown up around the park. Good carry and line from Marshall.

The real work was done beforehand. Just more composure and incision from the Ulster back line when they moved it to push play right down into Connacht's 22 and create the situation.

Wheels could start to come off the cart now after 3 losses from 4 games. Traditionally we struggle late in the seasons too and its certainly setting up for it again.

Utopia Parkway

vkid wrote: »

Not the most riveting game really.. felt that ulster score coming for a while..

They didn't really look like scoring before that but once they got a lineout and then scrum so close it was always a possibility.

Triumvirate

Think that final play summed up Connacht's night. Shovel, shovel, shovel to midfield who fights to take it back to the gain line. Collector's item for Jackson there, stripping Aki, I think.

In bad need of a 10.

connachta

At least a BP

Cosmo Kramer

A real feel of old Connacht about that second half effort. Very poor stuff. The missed touch from McGinty when Ulster were still down to 14 was the turning point and then Ulster had two chances to win it and took the second one. Connacht never really looked like scoring a try in the whole of the second half and at home, that's just not good enough.

wp_rathead

MacGinty missing his touch with penalty was real momentum changer
I would been dissapointed had it finished 3-3 so to lose was kick in the nads
Fair play to Ulster though

Triumvirate

TG4 not pulling any punches. Have the lowlight reel of the outhalves lined up.

Utopia Parkway

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

A real feel of old Connacht about that second half effort. Very poor stuff. The missed touch from McGinty when Ulster were still down to 14 was the turning point and then Ulster had two chances to win it and took the second one. Connacht never really looked like scoring a try in the whole of the second half and at home, that's just not good enough.

Had a great chance when they were about 5M from the line but it all got a bit loose and frantic and someone knocked on. Same as the first 10 minutes when they had great field position to score. No composure, too frantic and Carty lost patience and tried a grubber.

bilston

We will take that win. Any kind of result in Galway is a positive these irrespective of how it comes about.

4 wins on the bounce now for Ulster and if we manage 3 wins from the next 4 games (plus a couple of BP in Eurppe) we will set up the second half of the campaign nicely.

Brewster

Ulster more composed team and shaded it. Disappointing for Connaught but a good result for league including Munster and Leinster. Big Nick obviously playing for his future! Does this mean Ulster will be bringing in a world class back row?!

awec

Rubbish game, good result

wp_rathead

awec wrote: »

Rubbish game, good result

Really enjoyable first half - was great atmosphere in the Sportsground
Second half was bit of a lame duck at times alright - alot of errors by both sides
Ulster were so good at just soaking up the pressure

Someone said O'Connor did a nasty stamp on Aki but I didn't spot it myself so dunno if anything in it

Utah_Saint

wp_rathead wrote: »

Really enjoyable first half - was great atmosphere in the Sportsground
Second half was bit of a lame duck at times alright - alot of errors by both sides
Ulster were so good at just soaking up the pressure

Someone said O'Connor did a nasty stamp on Aki but I didn't spot it myself so dunno if anything in it

No, not a stamp. He was unsighted and went to put his foot down, when he realised it was a player on the ground he lifted his foot. There was no pressure applied.

Fairly scrapy by both sides but maybe that little bit of quality ulster have shone through in the end.

jacothelad

connachta wrote: »

Hold until 60 min as Connacht bench is better

flouncer wrote: »

agree again connachta

flouncer wrote: »

when our proper 1-3 are put on then things will happen. even rodney over nathan

Perhaps Connacht should have sent on the bench then rather than the players sitting on it......:D If Loughney and Ah You are your best props you're in diffs. I would have thought White was a better player. Bealham looks to be coming along well but I thought he was a t/h.

Zzippy

Ulster defence was outstanding. We could be still playing this time tomorrow and wouldn't cross the whitewash. Disappointing game that Ulster just about deserved to win. For a team that is top of the try scoring charts we've made heavy weather of doing so since the Munster game. All the changes and players returning from injury didn't help - Ulster had a more settled side and it showed. Hopefully we get a bit more continuity for next week and players start to gel together again. Thankfully no serious injuries (that I noticed anyway).

Watched Ronaldson kicking in the warm up and he hardly missed, some pretty difficult ones too. Very disappointing the ones he missed in the game...

freyners

We were missing a tiny bit accuracy and it killed us against a quality ulster side. We should have had at least one try in the opening half but for two poor efforts from masterson with a ko and a poor pass to niyi with a one on one waiting.

Jack had an off night and macginty never got his groove. Should have won. Poor loss but I am feeling decent about our chances next week.

its_phil

jacothelad wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

Hold until 60 min as Connacht bench is better

flouncer wrote: »

agree again connachta

flouncer wrote: »

when our proper 1-3 are put on then things will happen. even rodney over nathan

Perhaps Connacht should have sent on the bench then rather than the players sitting on it......:D If Loughney and Ah You are your best props you're in diffs. I would have thought White was a better player. Bealham looks to be coming along well but I thought he was a t/h.

Remember Jaco when the two boys called Ulster to be the kicking teams and Connacht the beautiful running west of Ireland All Blacks.

Hate that we lost but enjoyed those predictions at FT, because one team kicked ball and did it awfully and that team wasn't wearing white.

Ulster deserving tonight but a missed opportunity. Have to forgive the team as it hasn't properly played together since Munster, you could see ideas right but execution poor with so many passes going to hand but going to chest or behind the players. So our skills that we have been praising this season, deserve their criticism tonight. Didn't see anything that doesn't make me think we can't get a result in RDS though.

Everyone in Clan Stand couldn't believe Healt didn't go to vine. Far too lucky.

Turning point was AJ kick to touch, needs to better.

Thought Marmion was outstanding and got the better of Pienaar, while Craig and Bundee neutralised McCloskey and Marshall, and vice versa for Ulster.

Disappointing evening but sometimes you just see the difference in team getting better and the team better for 3/4 seasons now.

flouncer

jacothelad wrote: »

Perhaps Connacht should have sent on the bench then rather than the players sitting on it......:D If Loughney and Ah You are your best props you're in diffs. I would have thought White was a better player. Bealham looks to be coming along well but I thought he was a t/h.

thats a tad unfair. if thats your opinion then its not agreed with smiley faces or not.

errlloyd

Utah_Saint wrote: »

No, not a stamp. He was unsighted and went to put his foot down, when he realised it was a player on the ground he lifted his foot. There was no pressure applied.

Fairly scrapy by both sides but maybe that little bit of quality ulster have shone through in the end.

I actually saw it real time and I was very impressed by how Alan O Connor managed to pull his foot back in mid air and avoid stamping.

jacothelad

its_phil wrote: »

Remember Jaco when the two boys called Ulster to be the kicking teams and Connacht the beautiful running west of Ireland All Blacks.

Hate that we lost but enjoyed those predictions at FT, because one team kicked ball and did it awfully and that team wasn't wearing white.

Ulster deserving tonight but a missed opportunity. Have to forgive the team as it hasn't properly played together since Munster, you could see ideas right but execution poor with so many passes going to hand but going to chest or behind the players. So our skills that we have been praising this season, deserve their criticism tonight. Didn't see anything that doesn't make me think we can't get a result in RDS though.

Everyone in Clan Stand couldn't believe Healt didn't go to vine. Far too lucky.

Turning point was AJ kick to touch, needs to better.

Thought Marmion was outstanding and got the better of Pienaar, while Craig and Bundee neutralised McCloskey and Marshall, and vice versa for Ulster.

Disappointing evening but sometimes you just see the difference in team getting better and the team better for 3/4 seasons now.

Marmion should be at least Ireland's back up 9. Class player. Aki missed the tackle on Marshall that led to the try. He was bushed by then, tackling McCloskey. Marshall played well but stupid, stupid yellow. A trip like that used to be an instant red card. Still should in my view. Ulster were made to play badly and won without ever looking like losing. The few co-ordinated bit's of bacl play came from Ulster when they woke up. Still it must have been difficult. The ball must have been like an eel to play with and the pitch looked heavy underfoot. When both teams return to full strength they will be better.

p.s. I can see why Healy isn't in Schmidt's radar. He has pace that will make him dangerous but little else.....like Fion Carr.

thomond2006

Deserved win for Ulster. They could have scored the try earlier had Fitzgibbon not impeded Trimble, he had an ocean of space.

Think Connacht have flattered to deceive a bit this season and could be a tough run in from here. Should have just enough in the bank for decent shot at top 6.

Ulster were poor in attack but defensively excellent. They we're able to go for the jugular when it counted.

Connacht looked very unimaginative today despite dominating proceedings in the first half. Aki stood out though, some form he's in.

swiwi_

It will sound harsh, but if Connacht want to be really taken seriously, you can't be dominating a home game in territory and possession and come away with 3 points for the whole 80 minutes. Only really looked like scoring a try in the opening 20 minutes or so. Aside from the 10/12 issues, I think there were too many of the forwards standing at 2nd or 3rd receiver and just shovelling the ball on sideways.

It will be a great test of the Connacht character to make sure you finish in the top 6 or whatever it is to qualify for Europe, and it would be nice and deserved if you did so.

Utopia Parkway

its_phil wrote: »

Remember Jaco when the two boys called Ulster to be the kicking teams and Connacht the beautiful running west of Ireland All Blacks.

Hate that we lost but enjoyed those predictions at FT, because one team kicked ball and did it awfully and that team wasn't wearing white.

Don't know the stats but it didn't feel like Connacht kicked all that much. They generally don't under Lam.

Utah_Saint

Connaught had two scoring opportunities on the wing but the outside pass was never given. Think TOH was one of the guilty parties...let off for ulster.

flouncer

thomond2006 wrote: »

Deserved win for Ulster. They could have scored the try earlier had Fitzgibbon not impeded Trimble, he had an ocean of space.

feckin munster version of the game :-)

shuffol

jacothelad wrote: »

p.s. I can see why Healy isn't in Schmidt's radar. He has pace that will make him dangerous but little else.....like Fion Carr Craig Gilroy