The home side scored five tries as they swept aside Michael Bradley’s outfit, leaving the western Irish province firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.

Ulster’s control throughout was always too much for Connacht to resist, even though David Humphreys was sin-binned in the first half.

Ulster began the opening 40 minutes with serious intent and, after eight minutes, Matt McCullough was driven over after a Roger Wilson break from a scrum.

Humphreys converted and Ulster were up and running.

A penalty from Connacht’s Paul Warwick briefly interrupted proceedings before Rory Best grabbed the home side’s second score, on 17 minutes, diving on the ball after a lineout steal by the visitors.

Four minutes before the half-hour, Humphreys side-stepped through the Connacht cover to tee up James Topping.

Humphreys’ conversion made it 19-3 to Ulster but then, three minutes later, the Ulster out half was sent to the bin by referee Alain Rolland for what appeared to be a deliberate knock on.

However, Connacht’s advantage was undone when hooker John Fogarty was also binned two minutes later for interfering with the ball as Ulster piled on the pressure. Bryn Cunningham added the penalty from Fogarty’s misdemeanour.

Ulster’s bonus-point try arrived on 36 minutes when Andrew Trimble sped away from the beleaguered Connacht defence. Cunningham’s conversion made it 29-3 at the break.

The second half was a mostly scrappy affair with both sides making multiple substitutions. Ulster’s new signing Isaac Boss made his debut and set up Tommy Bowe for Ulster’s final try seven minutes before the end. Replacement Paddy Wallace added the points.

However, Connacht managed a consolation try right at the death when Keith Matthews ran in an intercept score which replacement Ted Robinson converted.