Ulster 32-12 Connacht: Baloucoune stars as northern province go top of URC

Robert Baloucoune scored two tries as Ulster went top of the URC with a commanding win over Connacht.

The wing delivered an impressive response after being released from the Ireland camp for the fixture with a score at the end of each half.

Greg Jones and Declan Moore also crossed for the hosts, who move two points above Edinburgh having played one more game.

Connacht's tries came from Oran McNulty and Alex Wootton.

Next week sees the other four sides in the URC's top five go head-to-head at Leinster host Edinburgh and Munster play Glasgow.

Having led since the 14th minute, Ulster held a two-score lead throughout the second half but faced with stoic Connacht defence appeared to have missed out on a bonus point until the final act of the game that saw Baloucoune collect Billy Burns' crossfield kick to send the home fans at Kingspan Stadium into ecstasy.

The northern province are next in action in two weeks when they take on Dragons away.

Baloucoune and Lowry deliver after Ireland release

Wing Baloucoune and full-back Michael Lowry were made available to Ulster having not been selected in Ireland's matchday squad for their Six Nations opener against Wales on Saturday.

The pair, who will return to Dublin to re-join the Ireland panel on Sunday night, put any disappointment behind them and provided Ulster's spark as the hosts took control in the first half.

Lowry was the recipient of a dangerous hit from Peter Sullivan after just three minutes, with the Connacht wing coming off worse in the collision and not returning to the field following his 10 minute sin-binning as McNulty came on in his place.

It was the elusive Ulster full-back who first brought the crowd to their feet, gathering in his own half and scything through a broken field before releasing Ethan McIlroy, who was only denied the opening try by a superb Kieran Marmion tackle.

Ulster did not have to wait much longer though as in the next passage of play Lowry again charged through the Connacht defence and popped the ball up for Jones who held off three Connacht tacklers to expertly finish in the corner.

Debutant Moore, only promoted to the starting side shortly before kick-off due to an injury to John Andrew, marked the occasion with his side's second score as Ulster's maul produced the goods yet again.

Connacht, who emphatically handed Ulster their first loss of the season in October, offered little in attack until McNulty put them on the board with a smart finish in the corner after a slick passage of play in the 25th minute.

The final act of the half saw Baloucoune collect Lowry's pass just inside his own half and pin back his ears leaving three Connacht defenders in his wake to soar over the line and give the hosts a commanding half-time lead.

It was a typically feisty interpro in Belfast

A typically fiery inter-provincial derby that contained multiple flashpoints was rattling along at a frenetic pace, and when Wootton benefitted from a flowing Connacht move centring around fly-half Conor Fitzgerald seven minutes into the second half, the visitors came right back into the game.

However they never applied pressure in Ulster territory for long enough to truly turn the tide in their favour, despite remaining in the game through outstanding defence.

Ulster would have been out of sight long before the final whistle were it not for the outstanding breakdown work of flankers Cian Prendergast and Conor Oliver, who each exacted two turnovers in their own 22 to keep their side in the hunt.

A pair of Nathan Doak penalties saw Ulster further extend their lead and while their win was beyond doubt in the closing stages, they continued pressing forward desperately in search of a bonus point score.

Prendergast was shown yellow for cynical fouling in the final minute and with the extra space, Burns kicked wide for Baloucoune to gather all alone for the fourth try.

Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune, Curtis, McCloskey, McIlroy; Burns, Doak; Warwick, Moore, Milasinovich, O'Connor (capt), Carter, Jones, Rea, Vermeulen.

Replacements: O'Sullivan, Reid, Kane, Kearney, Timoney, Shanahan, Moxham, Lyttle.

Connacht: Porch; Sullivan, Arnold, Daly, Wootton; Fitzgerald, Marmion; Buckley, Delahunt, Tuimauga, Murray, Dowling, Prendergast, Oliver, Butler (capt).

Replacements: Murphy, Duggan, McGrath, Fifita, Boyle, Reilly, Forde, McNulty.