Connacht 11 Llanelli Scarlets 18
Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips helped the Scarlets defeat Connacht at Dubarry Park tonight, breathing further fire into their Celtic League challenge with a first-half try double.
The 2004 champions picked up their first win on Irish soil since October 2003 - coincidentally also against Connacht, and with Phillips a try-scorer - as Gareth Jenkins' side profited in a lacklustre encounter.
The 22-year-old Phillips' ingenuity as he touched down twice in the space of seven first half minutes was the highlight. Michael Bradley's Connacht side suffered their fourth defeat in four outings in their second home of Athlone.
Connacht centre Paul Warwick kicked their only points up until Matt Lacey's late bonus point-saving try. A misfiring lineout ultimately saw Connacht slip up in the race for the Heineken Cup play-off spot, as Cardiff - four points below the Irish province and now with a game in hand - remain in contention.
Returning hooker Bernard Jackman - back from Ireland squad duty - sparked an early showing from Connacht as he carried well. But it was the Welsh - 32-17 conquerors of Munster three weeks ago - who looked the more purposeful.
Gareth Bowen's early penalty shot slid wide but from a 26th-minute Salesi Finau breakaway, Phillips outsmarted the Irish rearguard to dive over from a quick tap penalty.
Bowen clipped over the conversion, but was wayward when Phillips ended a dogged spell of Scarlets attacking with his second, spinning past opposite number Tom Tierney for his second on 32 minutes.
The Scarlets - minus regular skipper Simon Easterby - went 15-0 in front nine minutes after the restart, as a clinical Bowen punished a ruck infringement from 28 metres.
After a Matt Mostyn break, a subdued Warwick wasted no time in replying for the home side, as his right wing 30-metre penalty sailed over. Bowen chalked up his 114th league point with another penalty, and although Warwick replied and Lacey burrowed over in injury time, a first away success since their 26-15 defeat of the Borders on the opening night of the season belonged to the Scarlets.