Connacht centre barges over from close distance to briefly level the sides before Ulster's Nick Timoney hit back for the hosts minutes later to put his side ahead by seven once again.

Ulster putting the pressure on now.

They have another penalty after Gavin Thornbury is deemed to have deliberately knocked the ball on.

Ulster go to the corner and will look to utilise their powerful maul to drive over.

James Hume launched a massive kick to pin Connacht back.

Mack Hansen gathers the ball and clears but does not get much distance in the tricky conditions.

Ulster get the lineout and then win a penalty which Jake Flannery puts into the corner.

Can Ulster drive over with the lineout maul?

Ulster prop Andy Warwick powers over to give Ulster an early lead at Kingspan Stadium.

Becca Keegan
BBC Sport NI at Kingspan Stadium

Santa(s) are in the building!

There has been a lot of Connacht pressure since Ulster's try, which will be a 'Claus' for concern.

The visitors launched an attack from a lineout on the half way line and a clever chip and chase from Shayne Bolton was judged to have been dotted down by the winger in the dead-ball area.

It took a couple of replays and Ulster escape conceding another try.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Kingspan Stadium

What a start in Belfast!

Both teams are playing some good stuff in pretty tricky conditions.

It was tight in Galway earlier in the season. It's shaping up that way again.

Ulster hold the ball up! A strong carry from Tom Farrell but Ian Henderson and his teammates hold the centre up.

The referee has gone back for an earlier infringement and Connacht have another chance to attack from a penalty...

Connacht now have a bit of territory and force a penalty in Ulster's half which Jack Carty puts into the corner.

The visitors win their lineout and are now applying pressure just short of the Ulster line.

Ulster going through the phases and have worked the ball deep into Connacht's 22.

Can they convert early territory into points?

I'm not sure how it's coming across on TV, but the wind is really strong here in Belfast.

The rain is coming in sideways, down the pitch towards the Nevin Spence Memorial Stand and the posts are really swaying.

Connacht are playing into the wind in the first half.

How much will that impact things?

Referee Eoghan Cross blows the whistle and we're off!

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has said he does not judge himself solely on trophies but insists he and his players will not rest until they end the club's long wait for silverware.

McFarland is Ulster's longest-serving coach of the professional era.

Under him, Ulster came closest to a first trophy since 2006 when they lost the 2020 league final to Leinster.

Despite high-profile disappointments, McFarland's belief that Ulster are good enough to win titles remains undimmed.

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

The players have finished their warmup and they look ready to go.

The Ulster players have done a final lap of the pitch which has helped hype-up the home crowd - there's a bit of a buzz in Belfast this evening.

Both teams will be back on the pitch soon. Not long until kick-off...

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Kingspan Stadium

Image source, Inpho

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. The festive tunes are playing and there are Santa hats everywhere.

Not to be a Grinch about it all, but Connacht have been something of a bogey team for Ulster of late.

Earlier in the season, Connacht overturned a 17-point deficit to beat Ulster late on at the Sportsground in Galway.

The one that still stings - and players still talk about - was Connacht's win in Belfast in the URC quarter-finals last season.

Dan McFarland's side will be eager to put things right this time around.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Kingspan Stadium

It's Ulster's final outing of 2023 and, after a few weeks of despair, things are looking better after last weekend's superb win over Racing 92.

Dan McFarland's side blew the French side away at Kingspan Stadium and have a chance to end the year as a high as Connacht come to town.

There will be a festive feel-good factor before kick-off. Will that be the same come 10pm this evening?

Ulster defence coach Jonny Bell says the province must carry the confidence gained from beating Racing 92 into Friday's URC game against Connacht.

"We back ourselves. The boys are confident and we know what we've got to do to beat Connacht," said Bell at Ulster's weekly media conference.

"Connacht are a good side and we know they are going to cause us problems."

He added: "They went to Saracens at the weekend and scored five tries so they are dangerous.

Image source, Inpho