Craig Gilroy scores twice in huge win for Ulster
Ulster's Craig Gilroy crossed the Treviso line twice in a comfortable win
Ulster got back in the winning groove again after the Guinness PRO12's three-week sabbatical and annihilated Treviso 48-7 in a seven-try romp which took them up to third in the table overnight.
On the night when Andrew Trimble made a record 190th Ulster appearance, they turned on the afterburners with Trimble's fellow winger Craig Gilroy getting over for two tries.
Ulster's other tryscorers were Dan Tuohy, Sean Reidy, Paul Marshall, Peter Browne and Lewis Stevenson, with Stuart McCloskey kicking three conversions and a penalty while Peter Nelson slotted two conversions.
Ulster's cause was also helped by Treviso being reduced to 13 men at the end of the first half.
The recalled Tuohy opened the scoring for the home side after just six minutes and McCloskey converted. That soon became 10-0 after McCloskey slotted a penalty.
After the Ulster centre missed with his next shot at goal, and Jayden Hayward did likewise for the Italians, Ulster bagged their second try when Reidy drove over from a maul.
McCloskey converted to make it 17-0 and Treviso's ill-discipline then cost them dear, with yellow cards being shown in quick succession to both prop Rupert Harden and number eight Robert Barbieri.
The net result was the inevitable concession of more tries, with Marshall getting over first and then Gilroy scoring a trademark try by weaving his way through a thicket of defenders to grab the bonus point.
McCloskey missed both conversions but Ulster looked out of sight at half-time on the back of their 27-0 lead.
After Sam Christie's score for the Italians, converted by Hayward, Ulster upped the ante again.
Browne crossed in the 55th minute, McCloskey converting, and Gilroy's try and Nelson's conversion took the score beyond 40.
Stevenson went over the Italians' line in the closing stages to complete the rout with the help of another Nelson conversion.
