Connacht fall to four-try Warriors

Celtic Warriors 40 Connacht 17

Celtic warriors shrugged off the absence of nine internationals to come from behind to beat Connacht in an exciting Celtic League game at the Brewery Field.

After starting brightly, the Warriors fell 17-3 behind to smart tries by David Hewitt and Connor McPhillips and seven points from the boot of Mark McHugh.

But the Warriors rallied to level affairs at half-time with a superbly worked try by Aisea Havili and a typical burst by skipper Jon Bryant.

The boot of Neil Jenkins did the rest and the former Welsh legend went on to record a 100% haul of 20 points.

It was a Jenkins penalty which nudged the Warriors in front early in the second half and from then on Connacht were never in the hunt.

Chris Horsman finished off a rolling maul with a try and replacement number eight Ryan Jones killed off the dispirited Irishmen two minutes from time when he drove over from close-range scrum.

Afterwards Warriors assistant-coach Allan Lewis said: “I was very concerned because we started poorly and Connacht are a very good team and a very workman-like outfit.

“But I was very pleased with the way that we came back and controlled the game.”