Plucky Connacht stay in hunt
Despite the narrow winning margin, Connacht were worthy of another 20 points had they been able to convert all the scoring chances.
However, what was more important was that their domination was rewarded with a win, and for a second successive week.
That they limited the Falcons to just three points in the second half tells its own story. In all areas, bar the lineout, Connacht applied all the pressure, but for long periods it looked like their inability to secure victories would resurface. Instead it now appears Connacht may have turned a valuable corner.
More than once they made the wrong decision in scoring positions. They forced passes, kicked away possession, and lost line-out ball. They played the entire 40 minutes of rugby as if there was just five minutes left when some measured control phases could have reaped reward. Yet they made the Guinness premiership side and their celebrated backs look pedestrian, while they forced the pack onto the back foot in the scrum, despite the presence of famed All Black prop Carl Hayman in his first start for the Falcons.
Yet the game still hung in the balance until the final whistle after the Falcons had opened a 10-7 lead at the break. A Tom May try and Jonny Wilkinson’s conversion and ninth minute penalty, ensured the Falcons held the upper hand on the scoreboard.
Yet Connacht could well have been 10 points to the good before May’s 23rd-minute try. Out-half Andy Dunne had established field position with a pin-point kick to touch before the forwards took over, defending the Falcons’ line-out and maul and forcing the penalty. However while Dunne was wide with his third-minute effort, Wilkinson was on target with his in the ninth minute, when Mike McCarthy was penalised for not rolling away in the maul.
Connacht were soon back in the Falcons’ 22 with Michael Swift the hopeful tryscorer after a blindside break from John Muldoon and O’Loughlin off the scrum. However French referee Maciello picked up a Connacht obstruction and the Falcons turned around to produce their best move of the first half. Noon made the crucial break and May had power and pace to finish off in the right corner.
Connacht continued to apply the pressure through their pack, and were finally rewarded after 30 minutes when scrumhalf Conor O’Loughlin made the line from a diagonal run despite support outside, with Dunne adding the extras.
While Connacht failed to take advantage of Andy Long’s sin-binning, Wilkinson stretched the Falcons lead nine minutes after the re-start from the 10m line when Wynne was caught in possession, but thereafter they failed to make any impact.
It took Connacht 20 minutes before their pressure was rewarded as mistakes at crucial periods prevented the breakthrough. The Falcons were penalised for offside and Dunne reduced the arrears after 63 minutes. Still Newcastle failed to react.
Conor McPhillips looked the most likely to score when breaking through from half way. The replacement scrumhalf should have backed himself, instead he delayed passing to the supporting Gavin Duffy and the opportunity was lost.
The pressure paid off when Dunne levelled the scores with a 77th minute drop goal and sensing that victory was within their grasp, Ray Ofisa set up field position with a break down the left wing — the result an 81st minute penalty inside the 22 which Dunne converted for one of Connacht’s more meaningful victories.
G Duffy, O Treviranus, D Yapp, M Deane, A Wynne, A Dunne, C O’Loughlin, B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris, M Swift, A Farley (cpt), M McCarthy, J O’Connor, J Muldoon.
Replacements: M Mostyn for Yapp, J Fogarty for Flavin (48m), R Ofisa for McCarthy 59m, C McPhillips for O’Loughlin (67m).
M Tait, T May, J Noon, T Flood, J Rudd, J Wilkinson, H Charlton, D McDonnell, A Long, C Hayman, G Parling, M Sorenson, B Wilson, B Woods, P Dowson (cpt).
Replacements: R Winter for Dowson (14m), L Dickson for Charlton 58m, M thompson for Long 67m,S Tomes for Parling 70m.
F Maciello (France).
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