Ulster U20’s kicked of a miserable weekend of results for the province with a 28 – 8 defeat by Connacht at the Sportsground on Friday night.

I must admit, having read the weather report for Galway earlier in the morning, I bottled out of going down to this one but by all accounts it was a poor display.

Ulster opened the scoring in a rain lashed first half with a penalty from out half Andrew Magrath however his opposite number Simon Keller responded with two penalties of his own to give the hosts a 6 – 3 lead at the break.

Connacht ramped things up after the interval with Michael Boland crossing for a converted try shortly after the re-start and Ulster’s misery was further compounded when Connacht fullback Tim Carroll crossed for an unconverted score just before the hour mark to give the hosts a 18 – 3 lead.

Ulster finally played some rugby in the final quarter for captain Adam McBurney to cross for a try but any thoughts of a comeback were quickly dismissed when Keller knocked over his third penalty to push the score to 21 – 8.

Cillian Gallagher crossed late in the game to complete the rout, Keller adding the extras to give Connacht a twenty point win.

Connacht U20: Tim Carroll, Michael Boland, Alan McMahon, Daire Byrne, Jack Keegan, Simon Keller, Stephen Kerins, Conan O’Donnell, Caolan Maloney, Conor Kenny, Cillian Gallagher, Peter Claffey, Matthew Burke, Gavin Croke, Matthew Cosgrove. Replacements: Conal Slater, Darog Smyth, Matthew Murphy, Cian Barry, Neilus Mulvihill, Ryan Feehily, Charlie McMicken, Ryan Guilfoyle.

Ulster U20: Robert Lyttle, Conor Kelly, Alex Kane, Kieran Joyce, Jonny Rosborough, Andrew Magrath, Liam Free, Ben Halliday, Adam McBurney, Peter Cooper, Ronan McCusker, Hugh Sloan, Conall Boomer, Lewis McNamara, Matthew Fisher. Replacements: Tristan King, Andrew Shaw, Rory Squires, Harry Cleland, Ethan Harbinson, Chris Gibson, Matthew McDowell, Matthew Hooks.