Connacht Rugby Supporters - Dunne's late kick saves Connachts blushes

Dunne's late kick saves Connachts blushes

Sportsground

By LDTT January 6 2008
Connacht had to dig deep for their third league win of the season. It took an 84th-minute penalty from fly-half Andy Dunne to end the challenge of Llanelli Scarlets at the Sportsground on Friday night. Having led from the third-minute onwards, they almost coughed up all four points in injury-time.

Connacht (14) 20	Scarlets (6) 18
Tries: O'Loughlin
Pens: Dunne 5	Pens: Priestland 6
Sportsground	Att: 1,681
Friday 4th January 2008, 18:30

Welsh 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 through Andy Dunne with 84th-minute penalty.

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. Dominating territorially, 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. 9-3. Heavy rain fell before and during the opening period but it did not deter the likes of Andrew Farley and Michael McCarthy who impressed.

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 a difficult 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 try. However, 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.

Connacht: G Duffy; D Yapp, M Mostyn, M Deane, A Wynne; A Dunne, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris; D Gannon, A Farley (capt); M McCarthy, J O'Connor, C Rigney.
Replacements: J Fogarty, R Loughney, M Swift, R Ofisa, C McPhillips, T Donnelly, P Durcan.

Scarlets: Morgan Stoddart; Dafydd James, Matthew Watkins, Regan King, Mark Jones; Rhys Priestland, Liam Davies; Phil John, Matthew Rees, Bruce Douglas, Adam Eustace, Scott Macleod, Simon Easterby (capt), James Bater, Nathan Thomas.
Replacements: Deacon Manu, James Hayter, Dafydd Jones, Jonathan Edwards, Gavin Cattle, Ceiron Thomas, Nathan Brew, Garan Evans, Daniel George.

Referee: Andy Macpherson (SRU).

----------------------------------------------

Alternative Match Reports: