Connacht 24
Cardiff 19
Connacht delivered a precious win and a much-needed lifeline for their hopes of making the top eight in the URC when they overcame Cardiff at Dexcom Stadium.
In this designated Origins Day match, the home side ended a four-game URC losing run, digging deep against the wind to claim an important victory.
Connacht had entered the game 15th in the league table, Cardiff in 5th, and the home side enjoyed a 14-0 lead after 20 minutes, courtesy of tries from Ben Murphy and Shamus Hurley Langton.
“Delighted with the win,” says head coach Pete Wilkins. “To get five points was so important. There were nerves out there - the importance of the game, you could feel it and see it,” he says.
However, it did not translate into panic.
“We stayed on task, and tonight was about getting the result, and that was the most important thing.”
At the break Connacht were ahead, but Wilkins felt his team had left a couple of tries behind.
“Despite enjoying the wind advantage, there was a lack of composure, but the team responded in the second half.
“It is huge for us - it’s not quite knockout rugby, but it’s not far off it. It was so important we took advantage of this window.”
With the wind behind them in the opening half, Connacht dominated possession and reaped the early reward when scrumhalf Ben Murphy delivered the opening try, securing possession from a well-worked wrap-around by Josh Ioane, who added the conversion.
The second try was delivered following good work at the breakdown by hooker Dave Heffernan, and from the ensuing kick for touch and good phase attack, Shamus Hurley Langton took advantage of the stretched defence to cross for number two, with Murphy adding the extras.
The Connacht scrumhalf came close to providing the third, but they lacked the clinical finish to make their territorial domination count, while Ioane missed a penalty after 32 minutes. It ensured Cardiff turned around with the wind at their backs in the second half, and although quick to put the hosts under pressure, the home side wrested possession and made it count.
From a penalty to touch, Josh Murphy secured possession, and with a controlled drive, Dave Heffernan secured a third try, putting Connacht 19-0 up.
Cardiff, with the wind, continued to put their hosts under pressure. Great defensive work from Shane Bolton prevented a first try, but from the resulting penalty, Ray Lee-Lo burst over, with Sheedy adding the extras. By the 64th minute the visitors had narrowed the gap to five, replacement Ben Donnell finishing a well-worked move after 63 minutes.
When Braley broke through and Sheedy converted, the game was level 19-19 with eight minutes remaining. But Connacht were given a life-line with a penalty to touch in the 76th minute. From Dowling’s catch, the pack delivered a well-executed drive with Dylan Tierney Martin touching down on the right. Hanrahan’s attempted conversion was taken by the wind, but it did not detract from a precious win against a Cardiff side that came to Galway in fifth place.
Connacht: P O’Conor, S Bolton, H Gavin, C Forde, C Mullins , J Ioane, B Murphy, P Dooley, D Heffernan, J Aungier, J Murphy, J Joyce, C Prendergast (C ), S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle, Replacements: Sean Jansen for Boyle (15-25 ), S Illo for Aungier (21-30 ), S Cordero for Mullins (41 ), J Duggan for Dooley and M Devine for Murphy and JJ Hanrahan for O’Connor (all 52m ), Boyle for Jansen (56m ), DT Martin for Heffernan, Illo for Aungier, Dowling for Murphy (all 60 ).
Cardiff Rugby: C Winnett, G Hamer-Webb, R Lee-Lo, R Jennings , H Millard, R Barratt L Belcher (C ), R Litterick, J McNally, S Davies, A Mann, D Thomas, A Lawrence. Replacements: J Beetham for Millard (3m ), D Southworth for Barrett, R Thornton for Davies, E Daniel for Belcher, B Donnell for A Mann (all 56 ), C Brady for Beetham (59 ), T Young for D Thomas (60 ).
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland )
