Celtic League/Ulster - 20 Connacht - 10:It is now a full year since Ulster lost a Celtic League game at Ravenhill. The last defeat for Mark McCall's side in Belfast in this competition came on St Stephen's Day last year against Leinster; from there they went on a sensational 10-match unbeaten run to claim the title.
And having kept a 100 per cent record at Ravenhill to half-way through the present tournament with his hard-fought victory over Connacht, Ulster look well placed to become the first side to retain the title, even if they rarely managed to find top gear in front of 12,143 spectators last evening.
Second-placed Llanelli having lost heavily to the Ospreys earlier yesterday, Ulster stretched their lead in the table to seven points, though the Scarlets have two games in hand.
And yet though Connacht's poor record at Ravenhill continued - their last win in Belfast was in 1960 - Michael Bradley's side deserved huge credit for pushing Ulster all the way.
The game was settled only five minutes from time when Neil Best rumbled over for his side's third try after a sizzling break by Tommy Bowe, who had grabbed the first two touchdowns on his welcome return from injury.
Even then Connacht refused to give up, and they narrowly failed to secure the losing bonus point they deserved for their efforts.
Ulster coach McCall would have been happy enough with his side's response to grind out the win following a poor first-half show that saw the side's locked 3-3 at half-time.
McCall had made five changes going into the game, his eye firmly on The Last Stand, next Sunday's showdown against Leinster at Lansdowne Road, and his side lacked sharpness from the outset.
It was only when Ulster sprang their Ireland internationals from the bench that they took any control, Bowe's impressive brace underlining his value following a run of hamstring injuries.
For Connacht, their captain John Fogarty had a superb game, while Mark McHugh mixed his game intelligently and Keith Matthews provided a cutting edge.
Indeed, had the visitors not kicked away so much ball, they might have scraped that first victory at Ravenhill since 1960.
With Connacht's lineout proving impregnable, Ulster struggled for possession and territory in the first half, and the little ball they did receive was often used poorly or inaccurately.
If the home support expected Paul Warwick's fourth-minute drop-goal to awaken Ulster from festive torpor they were disappointed. Ulster had their moments, but were undone by wayward passing and sloppiness at the breakdown.
It took a more direct approach from Kevin Maggs to win the penalty whereby David Humphreys levelled the score on 22 minutes.
Connacht, meanwhile, were left to wonder how Matthews managed to spill a pass from Warwick with the line at his mercy.
McCall sprang his bench for the start of the second period, Paddy Wallace coming on for Humphreys in a preordained switch and Bryan Young and Rory Best replacing Justin Fitzpatrick and Paul Shields in the frontrow. And the home side soon upped the tempo.
Wallace's beautifully-timed pop pass sent Neil Best crashing into the Connacht 22 and when the ball was recycled Wallace sent a floated pass to Bowe, who raced over in the corner in the 48th minute. Wallace converted.
Connacht delivered a perfect riposte, hooker John Fogarty rumbling over following a drive from a lineout. McHugh's conversion levelled the scores.
But back came Ulster. Isaac Boss, with almost his first touch as a replacement for Kieran Campbell, made a blindside break, and another timely release by Wallace put Bowe into space, the winger showing great power to race over in the corner in the 58th minute.
Another break by Warwick maintained the pressure in a purple patch for Connacht, but Ulster regained control with another sizzling break by Bowe, which provided the platform for Neil Best to be driven over from a lineout in the 75th minute, securing the victory.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4 mins: P Warwick drop-goal, 0-3; 22: D Humphreys pen, 3-3; 48: T Bowe try, P Wallace con, 10-3; 52: J Fogarty try, M McHugh con, 10-10; 58: Bowe try, 15-10; 75: N Best try, 20-10.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; M Bartholomeusz, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, A Trimble; D Humphreys, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best; J Harrison, T Barker; N Best, N McMillan, R Wilson. Replacements: T Bowe for Cunningham (31 mins); P Wallace for Humphreys (40 mins) R Best for Shields, B Young for Fitzpatrick (both 42 mins), M McCullough for Barker (54 mins), I Boss for Campbell (57 mins), K Dawson for McMillan (68 mins).
CONNACHT: D Riordan; D Yapp, P Warwick, G Williams, K Matthews; M McHugh, C Keane; B Wilkinson, J Fogarty, B Sturgess; D Gannon, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements: M Lacey for Rigney, J Hearty for Riordan (both 62 mins), A Flavin (79 mins).
Referee: A Rolland (IRFU).
