Heineken Cup semi-finalists Ulster Rugby were brought back down to earth with a bump as a week after beating Munster Rugby at Thomond Park to reach the final four in Europe, they fell to their first defeat to Connacht Rugby since 2005.
The home side won 26-21 in Galway as they outscored their visitors by three tries to two to put a huge dent in Ulster's ambitions to reach the Play-Offs in the RaboDirect PRO12.
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin only retained three of his starting line-up from last weekend's quarter-final triumph over Munster in Limerick. His side has to host reigning Heineken Cup champions Leinster Rugby at Ravenhill next weekend in their final outing before travelling to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to meet Edinburgh Rugby.
Ulster were 16-13 ahead at the break, but a try by Tiernan O'Halloran and two Miah Nikora penalties and a conversion in the second half, taking his match tally to 16 points, ended Ulster's run of six straight wins in all tournaments.
A losing bonus point took them to 56 points, one behind Glasgow Warriors in fourth place with two games left to play in the regular PRO12 campaign. The top four qualify for the Play-Offs.
Ulster's Heineken Cup semi-final opponents at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 28 April, Edinburgh Rugby, conceded eight tries in a 54-13 defeat to Leinster in Dublin on Friday night.
