Sport

Bradley pleased with new signings

RUGBY/Connacht 17 Leeds Carnegie 24: CONNACHT COACH Michael Bradley was pleased with his side's first outing of the season despite…

Mon Aug 11 2008 - 01:00

RUGBY/Connacht 17 Leeds Carnegie 24:CONNACHT COACH Michael Bradley was pleased with his side's first outing of the season despite their loss to Leeds Carnegie at the Sportsground on Saturday night. Both teams tried out as many players as possible, and Bradley was well satisfied with the way his new signings played.

"This was the first of four pre-season games at the Sportsground and we are going to use these games to experiment as much as possible . . . it was a good workout for both sides," he said.

"It was good to see new players such Mike Roberts, Fionn Carr, Kieran Campbell and Frank Murphy settle in quickly. We created a lot of good scoring opportunities but we will need to do better to convert those opportunities in the Magners League and European Challenge Cup."

Connacht led 10-0 at half-time thanks to a 24th-minute try off a rolling maul from Adrian Flavin. Andy Dunne landed the conversion and a penalty.

READ MORE

Leeds struck for tries in the second half from Peter Wackett, Rhys Oakley and Leigh Hinton.

Connacht finished strongly, Ray Ofisa getting their second try, which was converted by Dunne.

SCORERS: Connacht: Tries: Flavin, Ofisa; Cons: Dunne (2); Pen: Dunne. Leeds: Tries: Wackett, Oakley, Hinton; Cons: White, Di Bernardo (2); Pen: White.

CONNACHT: D Riordan; F Carr, J Hearty, A Wynne, M Roberts; A Dunne, K Campbell; R Loughney, A Flavin, B McGovern; A Browne, A Farley; M McCarthy, R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements: J Lyne for McGovern (half-time); T Nathan for Riordan (half-time); F Murphy for Campbell (43 mins); L Bibo for Hearty (52 mins); R Morris for Loughney (55 mins); C Muldoon for Flavin (64 mins); R Loughney for Morris (73 mins); M Deane for Carr (74 mins); A Flavin for Roberts (76 mins); F Carr for Flavin (80+1 mins).

LEEDS CARNEGIE: L Hinton; S Armstrong, J Hepworth, L Blackett, T Biggs; A Di Bernardo, J Bedford; M MacDonald, V Ma'asi, T McGee; P Murphy, J Pendlebury; D Paul, H Fourie, R Oakley. Replacements: P Wackett for Biggs, J Brooks for Ma'asi (both 30 mins); P Bucknall for McGee, D White for Di Bernardo, J Goodridge for Hinton (all half-time); J Strange for Fourie, L Hinton for Goodridge (both 46 mins); T Denton for Bedford (53 mins); A Di Bernardo for White; A Boyde for MacDonald (both 55 mins).

Referee: C Stanley (IRFU).