RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE:Connacht 27 Edinburgh 23: CONNACHT RETURNED to form at home, claiming their sixth win at the Sportsground with a well deserved victory over Edinburgh last night.
Coach Eric Elwood had described the fixture as an opportunity for redemption, and not only did they take the four points on offer, but bagged a crucial try-scoring bonus point with two from Connacht’s leading try scorer Fionn Carr. In doing so they condemned visitors Edinburgh to their 12th defeat of the season, and scuppered the Scottish side’s hopes of overtaking them in the Magners League table.
Connacht were quick off the mark in an action-packed opening half in which five tries were scored. Carr opened after barely two minutes from fullback Gavin Duffy’s counter-attack deep in opposition territory, but it was number eight Ray Ofisa’s superb off-load from the floor that found Carr who crashed over. Ian Keatley missed the conversion and thereafter it seemed last weekend’s costly litany of mistakes had returned to haunt the hosts.
Three overthrown line-outs – albeit in stiff wind – did not help, but although Connacht played most of the rugby, Edinburgh capitalised. The Scots outhalf Greig Laidlaw had no difficulties with his goal kicking, nailing a fourth minute penalty before adding the conversion to Scott Newland’s 24th minute try in Edinburgh’s first sustained attack. While Connacht struggled to get over the line, Keatley struck a 28th minute penalty, but a forward pass handed the initiative back to the Scots and centre James King sliced a hole through the central defence to race in from 22 metres. Laidlaw added the extras to open up a 17-8 lead, while at the other end Keatley failed with his 34th minute penalty attempt.
As Connacht got to grips with Edinburgh’s rucking, they continued to play an expansive game, and it was a rehearsed move that led to a 38th minute penalty try. Keatley, on the loop, found Brian Tuohy with a long pass and just yards from the line offloaded to the supporting Carr who was tackled from behind from centre Nick De Luca. Italian referee Damarsco did not hesitate in awarding the penalty try, which Keatley converted and sending the offending Edinburgh player to the bin.
Five minutes later Connacht attacked up the right wing again. Troy Nathan and the ever-present Ray Ofisa handled before Gavin Duffy cut an inside line to supply Carr who grabbed his second try.
Within two minutes of the restart Edinburgh had narrowed the gap to two with Laidlaw potting a straight forward penalty. With Connacht camped inside their opponents’ half, a stolen Scottish line-out set up a series of drives, with Johnny O’Connor and Sean Cronin prominent. However, it was Keatley’s neatly executed chip that caught the defence and Duffy was in position to bag Connacht’s fourth try. Keatley, however, missed the conversion and when Laidlaw replied with a penalty on 67 minutes, the Scots remained within striking distance.
However the home side, through their determined pack, ensured they regained the initiative – a vital turnover on 75 minutes, a penalty from the resulting scrum, and another stolen line-out. There were scary moments before the end but Connacht survived another close-fought encounter.
CONNACHT:G Duffy; B Tuohy, T Nathan, K Matthews, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; R Loughney, S Cronin, J Hagan, B Upton, M McCarthy, A Browne, J OConnor, R Ofisa. Replacements: M McComish for Ofisa (62 mins), B Wilkinson for Loughney (68 mins), R Ah You for J Hagan (73 mins), A Flavin for Cronin (75 mins), B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Ah You, M McComish, J Muldoon, M Dolan, E Griffin, S Monahan.
EDINBURGH:J Thomson; S Webster, B Cairns, J King, T Visser; G Laidlaw, M Blair; K Traynor, A Kelly (capt), G Cross, S McLeod, E Lozada, F McKenzie, S Newlands, D Denton. Replacements: R Grant for McKenzie (54 mins), L Niven for K Traynor (60 mins), S Turnbull for Lozada (66 mins).
Referee:C Damasco (Italy).
