Conor Carey ready to grasp Connacht opportunity

Six years on from giving Finlay Bealham a lift to training in the Ulster academy, little did Conor Carey know that he’d be battling with the Australian-born tighthead for game-time in Connacht.

But Carey (25) is happy that he has taken his chance with Bealham away on Ireland duty, and a few months on from his move from Nottingham in the English Championship, Carey is eager to become the latest Connacht prop to excel.

The Belfast-born front row has been in good company since his arrival at the Sportsground, with Denis Buckley and Tom McCartney both impressing for Pat Lam’s side. But Carey, a former Ireland underage player, says he is not surprised by Bealham’s elevation to the Ireland seniors and that he is keen to follow his path.