Ulster and Connacht scored five penalties apiece as they played out a draw at the Sportsground in Galway.
Paddy Wallace and Ian Keatley both kicked two penalties in the first half to leave the score 6-6 at half-time.
Connacht's Ray Ofisa and Paul Emerick of Ulster were sin-binned during the first period, with Andrew Trimble yellow-carded in the second half.
Wallace added two further penalties and Niall O'Connor one while Keatley kicked three more Connacht penalties.
Ireland forward Stephen Ferris went off with a shoulder injury early in the game, with Willie Fallon his replacement.
Ofisa was yellow-carded for tripping Trimble in the 16th minute and Wallace slotted over the first points of the game from the resultant penalty.
Highlights: Connacht 15-15 Ulster
Keatley levelled with his first penalty of the match and then Emerick received a yellow card for a shoulder charge on Fionn Carr.
Keatley and Wallace traded penalties before the break and both also missed with further attempts at the posts.
Wallace nudged Ulster in front with his third penalty three minutes after the interval, but Keatley brought the home side level again six minutes later.
Wallace restored the visitors' advantage after Connacht were penalised at a scrum but just as Ulster looked to be gaining the ascendancy, Trimble was sent to the sin bin for tackling Mike McComish while the player was in the air.
Keatley kicked the penalty, but replacement Niall O'Connor responded with his first penalty of the game.
Keatley's final penalty six minutes from time drew the sides level at then end of a dour game.
Ulster lose their 100% record and lie fourth in the table while Connacht are fifth.
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin:
"It was a very tight match in which both teams gave nothing away.
"Both sides fought hard and a draw was probably a fair result.
"Galway is not an easy place to come to and win but we came away with something and that forms part of the building blocks we want."
Connacht: Gavin Duffy; Troy Nathan, Niva Ta'auso, Keith Matthews, Fionn Carr; Ian Keatley, Frank Murphy (capt); Brett Wilkinson, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan, Michael Swift, Bernie Upton; Michael McCarthy, Ray Ofisa, Mike McComish.
Replacements: Ronan Loughney for Wilkinson, Andrew Browne for Upton (51), Cillian Willis for F Murphy (63), Miah Nikora for Duffy (73).
Not used: Adrian Flavin, Rob Sweeney, Shane Conneely, Darragh Fanning.
Ulster: Jamie Smith; Paul Emerick, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Andrew Trimble; Paddy Wallace, Paul Marshall; Bryan Young, Rory Best (capt), Tom Court; Tim Barker, Ryan Caldwell; Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Pedrie Wannenburg.
Replacements: BJ Botha for Young (40), Paddy McAllister for Botha (77), Dan Tuohy for Barker (56), Willie Faloon for Ferris (11), Niall O'Connor for Whitten (66), David McIlwaine for Emerick (67).
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