Connacht failed to arrest their run of defeats, falling to Italian visitors Treviso at the Galway Sportsground last evening, and once again they paid the price for a poor start.
Down 15 - 0 after 20 minutes, they came right back into the reckoning, but despite an immense second-half effort, they were forced to settle for a losing bonus point - only their second point in the last five outings.
They can take credit for a determined response in which they held Treviso scoreless in the second half while playing some exceptional rugby. But in coming within two points of the visitors, they still could not make possession count. They enjoyed both territory and possession in abundance to do so, but too many knock-ons or turnovers close to the try line in the face of an aggressive Treviso defence that lived on the edge, ensured the spoils headed to Italy.
This now brings Connacht's poor run to eight defeats in all competitions after a bright start to the RaboDirect when they grabbed 14 points from their opening five contests. And with Gloucester to arrive this week in the Heineken Cup, Connacht are once again facing an almighty challenge to reap the rewards for their efforts.
"It's hard to take, it was a game we should have won,” said coach Eric Elwood. “ There were a lot of positives, but when it mattered we turned over ball and did not show enough composure."
The home side dominated the opening 40 minutes in all but the scoreboard as Treviso took their chances, grabbing two tries and a penalty within 22 minutes. The home side had opened brightly and created early chances, but they came away with nothing, missing a fourth minute penalty, and turning over possession five metres out. That turnover provided the visitors with their first chance as Connacht found themselves back-pedalling in their own 22 which resulted in an opening penalty for Treviso outhalf Willem De Waal after 11 minutes.
Three minutes later Treviso scrumhalf Fabio Semenzato was quick off the mark with a free, and from the ensuing ruck left wing Brendan Williams and fullback Ludovico Nitoglia combined up the right wing to send the fullback over the whitewash for the first try, which De Waal converted.
For the second time in a week Connacht found themselves 10 - 0 down, and despite dominating territory and possession, they had nothing to show for their efforts. Ray Ofisa marked his 100th cap for the province with his trademark tackling, David Gannon controlled the line-outs, Niall O'Connor provided some astute kicks for his backline, and Dave McSharry consistently proved a potent threat in the three-quarters, earning him the Man of the Match. However it was Treviso who capitalised from an interception, and from the subsequent Connacht knock-on, right wing Iannone Tommaso hacked the ball from half way and had a clear run to the line for try number two.
Connacht, however, "rolled up their sleeves" as Eric Elwood had demanded, and were rewarded for two penalties that provided the momentum. The pack continued to push Treviso back before youngster Dave McSharry claimed the try, taking a fine inside line from Niall O'Connor to break through from 10m out. O'Connor added the conversion to close the gap after 31 minutes.
Connacht continued to make an impact. Two line-out steals, some superb up-and-unders chased by Tiernan O'Halloran, coupled with some big tackles led by Michael Swift and John Muldoon, forced Treviso's second sin-binning of the night. O'Connor, who had missed a 49th minute effort, succeeded in the 56th minute to close the cap to 15 - 10, and the momentum was clearly with the home side. They looked to have made the breakthrough when Connacht pushed Treviso off their scrum five metres out and Muldoon appeared clear on the line, but the home side was denied when referee Neil Hennessy whistled for a penalty instead. O'Connor added the three points to come within two in the 66th minute, and although they spent the remainder of the half pounding the Treviso line, they simply could not penetrate their opponents' gutsy defensive wall.
Yellow cards: F Semenzato 26m; M Vasawai 56m.
Connacht: G Duffy, M McCrea, K Tonetti, D McSharry,T O'Halloran, N O'Connor, F Murphy, B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney, M Swift, G Naoupu, D Gannon, J Muldoon, R Ofisa. Replacements, R Ah You for Loughney (53m ), M Kearney for Swift (70m ).
Benetton Treviso: L Nitoglia, T Iannone, E Galon, A Pratichetti, B Williams, W De Waal, F Semenzato, M Rizzo (cpt ), F Sbaraglini, I Fernandez-Rouyet, F Minto, B Vermaak, M Vosawai, P Derbyshire, M Filippucci. Replacements, L Cittadini for Rizzo and C Van Zyl for Derbyshire (52m ), G Padro for Minto and M Muccignat for Fernandez-Rouyet (both 66m ), K Burton for Tommaso (67m ), V Bernabo for Vosawai (76m ).
Referee: P Hennessy (WRU ).
