Ulster 25-25 Connacht
Ulster scored two late tries to secure a well-deserved draw with Connacht in round two of the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship at the Kingspan Stadium.
It looked like Murray Houston's side were down and out when they trailed 25-11 with less than eight minutes to play but India Daley and Stacey Sloan scored close-range tries, which were both converted by Vicky Irwin to claim a share of the spoils.
Ulster had beaten Connacht in Cork in last season's championship for their first Interpro win since 2012 and came into the game with high hopes.
The hosts had more of the play in the opening half but Connacht were better able to convert their chances and scored impressive first-half tries through Faith Oviawe and Maebh Deely.
Laoise McGonagle and Deely scored two five pointers in the second half, either side of a fine effort from Lucy Thompson.
A Deely penalty pushed Connacht's lead out to 14 points late on but Ulster, who also scored late tries to secure two bonus points last weekend against Munster, were not done and finished much stronger to carve out the draw.
"I think we just built into the game, which is a bit unfortunate but we are really glad to come away with the draw," player of the match Brittany Hogan said afterwards.
"We got a kick up the backside [at half-time].
"We knew that first-half performance wasn't who were so at half-time we said we had to play in the right areas of the field, work more cohesively in defence.
"We started off slow and gave ourselves a hard job to do but we are workhorses, we are a team of girls that don't stop and I'm really proud that we came away with the draw."
It was Ulster who broke the deadlock after a poor opening where both sides made numerous handling errors.
Out-half Abby Moyle struck over a penalty in the 11th minute after the Connacht defence failed to roll away with Ulster on the attack on the 22.
The game sprung to life just into the second quarter when Deely ran in from 25 yards to finish off a well executed move involving Nicole Fowley, McGonagle and Clara Bennett.
The hosts, with Hogan prominent throughout, responded with another Moyle penalty but it was the fast hands of the Connacht attackers that were making the most impact.
Lively winger McGonagle was involved in their second try when her offload in midield found Karly Tierney, who popped the ball to Oviawe.
The back row, promoted from the bench after her brace against Leinster last weekend, spotted room on the outside and burned three Ulster defenders before touching down to give the visitors a 10-6 lead at half-time.
McGonagle got her name on the scoresheet just after the break when she was in the right place to take Orla Dixon's offload and score in the corner.
📸 | Keep going Ulster!
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) August 17, 2024
⚪️11-22🟢 pic.twitter.com/7kukNmqrs8
Then it was Ulster's turn to strike from deep when Thompson got possession just inside her own half. The winger brushed off poor tackle attempts from McGonagle and May Goulding and then outpaced her opposite number to score their first try.
Emer O'Dowd's side hit back almost straight away with Deely running a sublime line off a Fowley pass to scyth through the line just outside the 22 and score under the posts for a superb try.
The Ireland full-back converted and added a penalty with 20 minutes to play to give Connacht a 25-11 advantage.
TRYYY
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) August 17, 2024
India Daley 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/tahXI5jDLQ
However, Ulster weren't finished yet and when Hogan, named player of the match, was stopped on the line after a quick tap penalty, Daley was on hand to dive over. Irwin converted to leave just seven between the teams.
Moments later they were level.
The hosts stayed patient and worked their way through the phases inside the Connacht 22 and Sloan barged over from close range.
It left a tricky conversion for Irwin but the Ireland international slotted the kick over and ensured the spoils were shared.
Connacht host Munster at the Dexcom Stadium next weekend, while Ulster welcome Leinster to Belfast.
Ulster scorers - Tries: Lucy Thompson, India Daley, Stacey Sloan
Pens: Abby Moyle (2)
Cons: Vicky Irwin (2)
Connacht scorers - Tries: Maebh Deely (2), Faith Oviawe, Laoise McGonagle
Pens: Maebh Deely
Cons: Maebh Deely
Ulster: Lauren Farrell-McCabe; Lucy Thompson, Catherine Martin, Tara O'Neill, Peita McAlister; Abby Moyles, Kathryn Dane (capt); Bronach Cassidy, India Daley, Sophie Barrett; Brenda Barr, Cara O'Kane; Moya Hill, Maebh Clenaghan, Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Megan Brodie for Cassidy (21mins), Ava Fannin for Barrett (35), Stacey Sloan for M Hill, Rachael McIlroy for Dane, Barrett for Fannin (all 50), Vicky Irwin for O’Neill (57), Gemma McCamley for O’Kane (62), Cassidy for Brodie (66), Christy Hill for Clenaghan, Paige Smyth for Moyles (both 70).
Connacht: Meabh Deely; Clara Barrett, Orla Dixon, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Laoise McGonagle; Nicole Fowley (co-capt), Grainne Moran; Ella Burns, Lily Brady, Megan Collis; Karly Tierney, Grace Browne; Faith Oviawe, Beibhinn Gleeson, Shannon Touhey (co-capt).
Replacements: May Goulding for Moran (31 mins), Roisín Maher for Collis (half-time), Rosie Searle for Browne Moran (62), Molly Boote for McGonagle, Jemima Adams Verling for Gleeson (both 70), Stacy Hanley for Brady, Hope Lowney for Burns (both 74). Not used: Ava Ryder
