Smooth Ulster machine sweep Connacht aside

The sun on their backs, Galway Bay in the background and Ulster made hay. A summer feel, sleeves rolled up like any serious labourers in a summer romp around the Sportsground and Ulster's European crown sat firm, their interprovincial challenge humming.

A few rough edges still to be ironed out said coach Harry Williams and captain David Humphreys. But post match comments are driven by sporting courtesies more than game analysis. Measuring Ulster against this Connacht performance will do little good when they graduate to bigger sides from the continent or against Leinster next Friday at Donnybrook.

Handling errors and turnovers starved Connacht's backs of anything productive. What morsels they did get were regularly handed back with disarming politeness.

With little poise and a lack of awareness, Connacht will not play as badly again. The commitment was there but such was the disarray that even that fundamental ingredient dissipated in the face of an Ulster side that took to the lush grass like a team of colts just released from harness.

"I guess it's welcome to the real world," said coach Glen Ross. "Panic isn't the word to use but serious scrutiny will have to take place about what went on. They will take this very, very badly."

There was the welcome sight of Eric Miller coming off the bench for Ulster and with Paddy Johns and Irish captain Dion O'Cuinneagain adding their muscle to the pack, the organisation also had beef and class.

The backs were lively, none more so that Jan Cunningham, whose try after half an hour typified the wretchedness of Connacht. Bernard Jackman and Mervyn Murphy went to ground in possession with Cunningham looking menacing. In one ripping move the centre stole the ball, turned and galloped 70 metres for a try under the posts.

That score took Ulster to 28-3 after right wing James Topping and full back Simon Mason had added two startling similar tries when moves up the right wing caught the home side flat footed.

The excellent Tony McWhirter also capitalised on a phase of assured handling through centre field, 20 point Mason bringing the ball into the danger zone and the number eight turning on the tackle for the score.

Four tries to two Eric Elwood penalties by half-time and Connacht chances of a similar resurrection to last season, where they came back from an 18 point margin, had evaporated.

Elwood cracked one more after half-time and that was the blinds drawn on Connacht's scoring. O'Cuinneagain capitalised on another phase of excellent support play from Ulster in the right channel involving Gary Longwell, a buzzing Jonathan Bell and Johns and Ulster moved to 36 points.

Finally, it was Allen Clarke who whisked in Ulster's sixth try after a raft of other opportunities had slipped by, the hooker gathering loose ball and kicking off like a hare as Connacht heads dropped. "Most of the things we did came off," said Ulster coach Harry Williams.

"There are still rough edges but it was pleasing to see all the things we worked on coming to fruition."

Scoring sequence: 7 mins: S Mason pen, 03; 9 mins: J Topping try, 0-8; 16 mins: Mason pen, 0-11; 18 mins: T McWhirter try, Mason con. 0-18; 20 mins: E Elwood pen, 3-18; 26 mins: Mason pen, 3-21; 32 mins: J Cunningham try, Mason con, 3-28; 37 mins: Elwood pen, 6-28; 40 mins: Mason pen, 6-31. 42 mins: Elwood pen, 9-31; 46 mins: D O'Cuinneagain try, 9-36; 66 mins: T Howe try, Mason con, 9-43; 74 mins: A Clarke try, Mason con, 9-50.

CONNACHT: S Allnut (Buccaneers); M Mostyn (Galwegians), M Deane (Buccaneers), M Murphy (Galwegians), P Duignan (Galwegians); E Elwood (Galwegians, capt.) C McGuinness (St Mary's); J Maher (Buccaneers), J McVeigh (Buccaneers), J Screene (Buccaneers), G Webster (Buccaneers), M McConnell (Galwegians), M Steffert (Buccaneers), B Jackman (Clontarf), B Gavin (Galwegians). Replacements: M Cahill (Buccaneers) for Screene, C Rigney (Buccaneers) for Steeffert both 57 mins. E Brennan (Buccaneers) for McVeigh, N Carolan (Galwegians) for Duignan both 67 mins.

ULSTER: S Mason (Ballymena); J Topping (Ballymena), J Cunningham (Ballymena), J Bell (Dungannon), T Howe (Dungannon); D Humphreys (Dungannon, capt.), S Bell (Dungannon); J Fitzpatrick (Dungannon), A Clarke (Dungannon), G Leslie (Dungannon), P Johns (Dungannon), G Longwell (Ballymena), D O'Cuinneagain (Ballymena), A Ward (Ballynahinch), T McWhirter (Dungannon). Replacements: M Blair (Ballymena) for Longwell, E Miller (Terenure) for McWhirter both 59 mins.; F Fredericks (Instonians) for Howe, N Malone (Belfast Harlequins) for Humphreys both 67 mins; S Best for Leslie 72 mins; M Edwards (Ballymena) for S Bell 75 mins.

Referee: M Whyte (Leinster)