| Blues maintain title challenge |
Cardiff Blues |
30 - 12 |
Connacht Rugby |
| Arms Park Att: 6,423 |
| Referee: Andy MacPherson |
| Saturday 29th April 2006, 17:30 |
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| Cardiff Blues guaranteed Heineken Cup rugby next season and kept alive their hopes of Celtic League glory with a 30-12 victory over Connacht at the Arms Park. |
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| The Blues' Mike Phillips gives Connacht's Mark McHugh the slip. |
| © Steve Pope Photography |
| Their sixth win in succession meant they earnt easily earnt the two more league points they needed to guarantee qualification for Europe's premier club competition as one of the top three Welsh sides.
The Blues have now won 27 out of a possible 30 league points and with their latest success they re-take third place in the table.
The defeat also brought an end to the Irish province's two-game winning run and underlined the struggles they have had away from home this term gaining just six league points from their ten trips so far.
Both sides failed to find their rhythm early on and although the Blues had the best of the attacking opportunities they were unable to break the stubborn Irish side's defence.
The first half turned into a kicking contest between Connacht's Mark McHugh and the Blues' Nick Macleod with teh visitors taking a narrow 12-9 lead at the break.
The hosts cranked up their efforts after the break and it brought due reward with the first try of the game. Macleod created the initial break before feeding Australian centre Marc Stcherbina who evaded the covering tackles to score before Macleod added the extras.
Determined to maintain their title challenge the Blues introduced replacements Nicky Robinson and Martyn Williams and within minutes the hosts had their second try.
A smart passing move ended with prop Gethin Jenkins crossing out wide and Macleod's exceptional conversion extended the Blues' lead.
Connacht's cause was further tested when replacement scrum-half Tom Tierney was yellow-carded for repeated attempts to slow down and the home side capitalised as Stcherbina rounded off another excellent move involving Rhys Williams, Macleod and wing Chris Czekaj.
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| First half timeline |
| 4 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - M McHugh |
| 9 | Cardiff Blues | Penalty kick - N Macleod |
| 14 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - M McHugh |
| 20 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - D Gannon on for C Short |
| 21 | Cardiff Blues | Penalty kick - N Macleod |
| 23 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - M McHugh |
| 29 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - M Lacey on for J Muldoon |
| 31 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - J Muldoon on for M Lacey |
| 36 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - T Tierney on for C Keane |
| 38 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - M McHugh |
| 40 | Cardiff Blues | Penalty kick - N Macleod |
| Second half timeline |
| 44 | Cardiff Blues | Try - M Stcherbina |
| 44 | Cardiff Blues | Conversion - N Macleod |
| 56 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - M Lacey on for A Farley |
| 59 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - N Robinson on for C Morgan |
| 59 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - M Williams on for R Sidoli |
| 62 | Cardiff Blues | Try - G Jenkins |
| 62 | Cardiff Blues | Conversion - N Macleod |
| 65 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - D Slemen on for P Warwick |
| 70 | Connacht Rugby | Yellow card - T Tierney |
| 71 | Cardiff Blues | Try - M Stcherbina |
| 71 | Cardiff Blues | Conversion - N Macleod |
| 73 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - D Goodfield on for T Thomas |
| 73 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - S Roberts on for G Jenkins |
| 73 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - J Merrigan on for J Fogarty |
| 73 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - A Clarke on for D McFarland |
| 75 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - L Thomas on for R Williams |
| 78 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - T Robinson on for C McPhillips |
| 80 | Cardiff Blues | Substitution - T Thomas on for D Goodfield |
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