Glasgow Warriors see off brave Connacht to reach URC semi-finals
NOT ENOUGH: Connacht's Finlay Bealham scores his sides third try of the match. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie
A brave Connacht effort came up short in Scotstoun as Glasgow Warriors did enough to book their place in the semi-finals of the URC at home to either the Bulls or Munster.
Stuart Lancaster’s men, the form team in the second half of the league, gave it everything but it was just not enough to secure a first ever win in Scotstoun and extend their season for at least another week.
The sides were deadlocked at 7-7 at the end of a cracking opening half where both sides played some excellent rugby in a bruising encounter that had a real cup-tie atmosphere.
Connacht knew the importance of a big start and outhalf Josh Ioane led onslaught with some brilliant running and passing which took the game to the side which finished top of the table after the 18 scheduled rounds.
It may have been knockout rugby, but Connacht laid out their intentions after three minutes when opting for the corner from a kickable penalty but a multi-phase move ended with hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin adjudged to have been held up close to the line.
But Connacht struck from the goal-line restart with Ioane twice involved as they piled forward and this time captain Cian Prendergast, aided by lock Darragh Murray, got over just by the posts with Sam Gilbert tapping the conversion for the perfect start.
However, Glasgow settled and the fluid attacking from deep which top them top of the table was evident as they worked the ball through the hands from deep, popping short passes and varying the line of attack, and they got back on level terms after ten minutes after forcing three penalties deep inside the Connacht half.
The pressure yielded a try for loosehead Patrick Schickerling when the Namibian squeezed over in the left corner. George Horne kicked a superb conversion into the breeze from the touchline to tie the sides after ten minutes.
Connacht lost tighthead Sam Illo to a yellow card when they conceded their fourth penalty after 14 minutes but a try from Montauban-bound hooker Johnny Matthews was scratched when Matt Fagerson was pinged for an infringement.
Connacht survived the binning without conceding and Ioane, having earlier executed a superb 50:22 which was not capitalised on when Gilbert knocked-on, intercepted from deep and looked set to score down the left but Glasgow skipper Kyle Steyn did superbly to get back and nail him.
Glasgow struck a massive blow four minutes after the restart. A poor clearance from Gilbert was countered from deep with Steyn executing a brilliant 50:22 down the right and he was at the end of the move from the five-metre lineout score beside the left post. Horne’s conversion made it 14-7.
But a try four minutes later from Matt Fagerson was ruled out when No.8 Jack Dempsey was pinged for a forward pass inside his own half which put Horne away.
Connacht changed their front row, brought Sean Naughton and Matthew Devine into the backline and replaced Paul Boyle with Sean O’Brien at No.8, but it was Glasgow who extended their lead after 55 minutes from full-back Josh McKay after good work by Sione Tuipulotu and Dan Lancaster, son of the Connacht coach.. Horne’s third conversion made it 19-7 after 56 minutes.
The Connacht response was excellent. They built the phases, forced three penalties in a row and with advantage for a fourth penalty, replacement hooker Dave Heffernan squeezed over with Gilbert converting to cut the gap to 19-14.
Glasgow lock Alex Samuel was binned in that move but Connacht lost Hugh Gavin, who was stretchered off after coming on for the influential Ioane, who was withdrawn for a HIA which he failed.
The next score was going to be vital, and it was Glasgow, despite being down a man, who struck when replacement lock Jare Oguntibeju spotted a gap from the base of a ruck to score 12 times from time. Horne’s fourth conversion made it 28-14.
Good work by replacement scrum-half Devine ended with Finlay Bealham scoring eight minutes from time, with Gilbert’s conversion again reducing the margin to seven.
But Connacht made a mess of the restart and Glasgow punished them from a five-metre lineout with Lancaster’s delayed pass putting his captain Steyn over for his second try to seal the issue.
Connacht finished with 14 men after Bealham, injured when scoring, had to go off and flanker Shamus Hurley-Langton had to be withdrawn for Sam Illo to come back on but by then Stuart Lancaster’s first season in charge had all but come to an end and Glasgow were on their way to the last four.
Tries: K Steyn (2), P Schickerling, J McKay, J Oguntibeju. Cons: G Horne (4).
Tries: C Prendergast, D Heffernan, F Bealham. Cons: S Gilbert (3).
J McKay (O Smith 75); K Steyn (capt), S McDowall, S Tuipulotou, K Rowe; D Lancaster, G Horne (J Oliver 69); P Schickerling (R Sutherland 60), J Matthews (G Hiddleston 46), Z Fagerson (S Talakai 60); S Cummings (J Oguntibeju 60), A Samuel; M Fagerson, R Darge (S Valianu 60), J Dempsey (E Ferrie 75).
S Gilbert; S Jennings, J Devine, B Aki, S Bolton (S Naughton 48); J Ioane (H Gavin 61, B Murphy 65), B Murphy (M Devine 54); B Bohan (P Dooley 48), D Tierney-Martin (D Heffernan 48), S Illo (F Bealham 48); J Murphy (J Joyce 62), D Murray; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton (Illo 75), P Boyle (S O’Brien 54).
A Jones (Wales).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
