IT MIGHT only have been a fleeting glimpse, but the return of Gavin Henson after a five-month absence through injury put the golden seal on this one-sided but highly entertaining Magners League contest.

What’s more, in winning for a fourth time in the competition this season, the Ospreys had genuine reason for a double celebration. After all, ahead of this afternoon’s game between previous leaders Leinster and European champions Munster, the Welsh region find themselves sitting on top of the Celtic pile.

As well as Henson, the Ospreys could afford the luxury of leaving the likes of Wales captain Ryan Jones and fellow internationals Ian Gough, Huw Bennett and Duncan Jones on the bench against an Ulster side who are still chasing a win this season.

It took the Ospreys just nine minutes to break the deadlock, a sublime break from Shane Williams handing a try on a plate for scrum-half Rhodri Wells.

Five minutes later James Hook finished a wonderful handling move and duly converted from in front of the posts. That score, started and finished by Hook in front of watching Wales coach Warren Gatland, was the writing on the wall for an Ulster side who continually struggled to cope with the hosts’ pace and precision.

Clinton Schifcofske tugged a penalty attempt from 40 metres wide after a rare sortie into the Ospreys’ half and Williams poured salt into the Ulster wound with a try after a slip from Bryn Cunningham. Hook’s conversion made it 19-0 inside half an hour.

A last-ditch tackle from Paul Steinmetz on Nikki Walker prolonged any further agony for Ulster at the start of the second half, but their comfort was short-lived as the Ospreys found themselves with a numerical advantage as Matt McCullough was sin-binned for persistently killing the ball on the floor.

Hook converted the ensuing penalty for a 22-0 lead and at that juncture, a landslide success for the Ospreys looked a certainty.

Tommy Bowe was next on the scoresheet, biting the hand that used to feed him when he hacked on a dropped pass by Timoci Nagusa to touch down. This bonus-point try heralded a raft of replacements from the Ospreys, including a first appearance of the season for Henson.

The centre’s arrival sparked another push from the Ospreys. Lee Byrne crossed in the 70th minute and Ryan Jones followed him over seven minutes later to leave the Welsh region full of confidence ahead of the EDF Cup.

Star man: James Hook (Ospreys)

Referee: P Alan (SRU)

Attendance: 7,225

Scorers: Ospreys: Tries: Wells 9, Hook 14, Williams 21, Bowe 53, Byrne 70, R Jones 77.

Cons: Hook (5). Pen: Hook

Yellow cards: Ulster: McCullough (47min), Botha (67min), Ferris (74min)

OSPREYS: L Byrne; N Walker, T Bowe, J Hook, S Williams; D Biggar (G Henson 60min), R Wells (R Webb 55min); P James (capt), R Hibbard (H Bennett 60min), A Jones (D Jones 60min), A Lloyd (I Gough 56min), I Evans, J Thomas, T Smith (R Jones 60min), M Holah

ULSTER: B Cunningham (P Steinmetz 27min); T Nagusa, R Dewey, A Trimble, C Schifcofske; N O’Connor (I Humphreys 65min), I Boss (P Marshall 64min); J Fitzpatrick (T Court 50min), N Brady (S Philpott 63min), BJ Botha, C del Fava (capt), R Caldwell (E O’Donoghue 63min), M McCullough (S Ferris 57min), R Diack, K Dawson.