| Connacht Claw Back For Valuable Win Over Llanelli |
Connacht Rugby |
20 - 18 |
Llanelli Scarlets |
| Sportsground Att: 1,681 |
| Friday 4th January 2008, 18:30 |
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| Connacht had to dig deep for only their second win over Welsh opposition since October 2006 - it took an 84th-minute penalty from fly-half Andy Dunne for the Irish province to end the challenge of Llanelli Scarlets at the Sportsground on Friday night. |
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| Scrum half Conor O'Loughlin, Connacht's try scorer against Llanelli, fires a pass out under pressure from the Scarlets defence |
| © Inpho Photography |
Michael Bradley's side continued their impressive home form - they have lost just one of their last six games at their Galway base - but having led from the third-minute onwards, they almost coughed up all four points in injury-time.
Scarlets fly-half Rhys Priestland landed four second-half penalties, including an injury-time effort which nudged the Welsh region into an 18-17 lead.
But Connacht struck back almost immediately to hand Andy Dunne an 84th-minute penalty chance which he took with great aplomb.
The Scarlets, still smarting from leaking that injury-time try to the Dragons on New Year's Day, will be kicking themselves that they failed to hold on and move into the league's top two.
But on the balance of play, it was Connacht who deserved the win and the hosts, having had the wind at their backs in the first half, turned around with a 14-6 buffer.
Territorially on top and with their pack suitably fired-up, Connacht took a third-minute lead as Dunne found his range after a Scarlets offside.
The Welsh region then gained a foothold in the game and Priestland briefly levelled with a 30-metre penalty strike. Yet a brace of successful kicks from Dunne gave Connacht some added cushion.
Heavy rain fell before and during the opening period but it did not deter the likes of Andrew Farley and Michael McCarthy who impressed for the home side.
Priestland, who was deputising again for the injured Stephen Jones, kicked his second penalty, yet he gifted Connacht the only try of the game, six minutes before half-time.
Trying to clear out of his 22, the Scarlets youngster had his kick charged down by the onrushing Conor O'Loughlin and the Connacht number 9 did well to dart through and win the race for the touchdown.
Dunne missed the conversion but armed with an eight-point lead, Connacht went into the second half with a degree of confidence.
The Scarlets upped their game on the restart however, and only a dropped pass from Regan King prevented his side from nabbing a much-needed try.
Although missing Jones and a number of their first-team regulars through injury, Phil Davies' charges got on top in open play, aided by the elements, and two Priestland penalties, as against one from Dunne, cut the gap to 17-12.
Mistakes began to dog Connacht with Ireland international Gavin Duffy failing to collect a garryowen and missing a crucial touch as the Scarlets sensed a comeback win.
Priestland's fifth and sixth penalties - after 74 and 81 minutes - nudged the visitors into the lead, however a ruck infringement off the restart gave Dunne a chance to reply and he duly took it.
The win puts Connacht four points clear of Ulster at the foot of the league table, while the Scarlets, hardly consoled by their losing bonus point, lie fourth. |
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| First half timeline |
| 3 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - A Dunne |
| 14 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 17 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - A Dunne |
| 19 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - A Dunne |
| 22 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 34 | Connacht Rugby | Try - C O'Loughlin |
| 40 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - J Hayter on for M Rees |
| Second half timeline |
| 45 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - C McPhillips on for M Mostyn |
| 49 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 49 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - M Swift on for D Gannon |
| 61 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - C Thomas on for M Stoddart |
| 65 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - A Dunne |
| 67 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 67 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - J Fogarty on for A Flavin |
| 70 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - R Ofisa Treviranus on for M McCarthy |
| 70 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - G Cattle on for L Davies |
| 73 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 78 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - G Evans on for R King |
| 80 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 80 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - D Jones on for S Easterby |
| 80 +2 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - A Dunne |
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