Tommy Bowe’s try double helped Ulster strengthen their grip on a GUINNESS PRO12 semi-final spot as the visitors secured a thrilling 27-20 bonus-point triumph over rivals Connacht at the Sportsground.

With fellow top-four contenders Glasgow Warriors and Ospreys both winning on Friday, Ulster rose to the challenge with aplomb, posting a 17-0 lead at the interval through tries from Louis Ludik, Bowe and Craig Gilroy.

Yet Connacht had previously lost only one GUINNESS PRO12 encounter at home this season and refused to lie down as they hit back with a try from winger Matt Healy.

The visitors appeared to have quelled Connacht’s fightback with Bowe’s second and a try from captain Rory Best, only for Pat Lam’s side to cut the gap again through Tiernan O’Halloran’s score.

The hosts had Ulster on the back foot during the frantic final moments, but the visitors’ defence held firm to ensure they moved temporarily up to second in the GUINNESS PRO12 table, prior to Munster’s victory over Edinburgh.

Alongside returning Ireland internationals Best, Bowe and Jared Payne, Ulster were also able to welcome back Chris Henry in his first start since recovering from heart surgery.

And those returning stars made an immediate impression as Payne broke through the midfield before Best and Henry took the ball up towards the Connacht line.

The visitors stayed patient to draw in Connacht defenders as Paddy Jackson fired the ball out to fullback Ludik, who barged over from close range, with Ruan Pienaar pushing his conversion attempt wide.

The South African scrum-half was deceived by the windy conditions again moments later as his penalty attempt dropped short after Connacht were penalised at the breakdown.

The hosts surged back into the contest through scrum-half Kieran Marmion, whose break down the left appeared to have led to a bizarre try for Bundee Aki.

With the ball rolling back onto the Ulster try line, Aki dived into the ruck to touch down but after consulting the TMO, referee Nigel Owens confirmed Pienaar had downward pressure before Aki’s intervention.

A scything break from Darren Cave put Ulster back on the front foot and they struck in ruthless fashion after turning the ball over on Connacht’s 22, quickly feeding Bowe to charge in unopposed on 30 minutes.

Pienaar missed the extras but was on target moments later to make it 17-0 as Ulster capped their onslaught by sweeping from right to left, with Gilroy cutting through a broken defensive line to score.

Straight after the interval, Healy gave a hint of his lethal pace before showing his strength to shrug off Henry’s tackle and dart over, with Miah Nikora’s conversion making it 17-7.

Nikora then cut the gap to seven points with a penalty but Ulster regained their composure to score a vital bonus-point try just before the hour.

A break from the dynamic Iain Henderson gave Ulster quick ball, with Jackson firing another deft pass out wide to Cave, who fed Bowe to again cross over in the corner and make it 22-10.

Pienaar’s struggles with the wind continued before Nikora pegged the visitors back one more with another penalty.

Ulster then seemed to have quashed Connacht’s spirits with their fifth try on 65 minutes as they secured a five-metre lineout and Best controlled the driving maul expertly to dot down.

But the hosts drove forward again, working an overlap on the left to allow fullback O’Halloran to score before a stunning touchline conversion from Jack Carty made it 27-20 with ten minutes to play.

Ulster were then forced to scramble as Connacht swept towards their line, only for Robbie Henshaw’s offload to a free Danie Poolman to go to ground and Ulster held on for a vital win.

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