Aussie fly half steers Connacht to victory

Connacht 31 Glasgow 15

Former Australian sevens captain Paul Warwick put in an impressive 70-minute shift at the Sportsground, as he bagged 14 points in Connacht’s defeat of Glasgow.

The 23-year-old fly half debutant had a hand in three of the Irish province’s four tries, as Michael Bradley’s charges earned their first Celtic League win since April.

Flankers Matt Lacey and John Muldoon, Warwick, and ex-Ireland international Matt Mostyn all crossed against the misfiring Scots.

Former international colleagues Dan Parks and Kenny Logan were Glasgow’s only scorers, as they touched down either side of half-time.

In near perfect conditions, Connacht pressed home an early advantage, touching down after six minutes through former England Under-21 Lacey.

A well-worked lineout, 12 metres from the Glasgow line, saw burly number eight John O’Sullivan take and claim for Lacey to rumble over.

Warwick, poached from Manly in July, clipped over the convert.

Hugh Campbell’s visitors, who included late signings Scott Barrow and Rory Lamont out wide, replied 10 minutes later as a Lacey ruck infringement saw out-half Parks dink over a long-range penalty.

Possession swung Glasgow’s way, but sterling defence from last season’s Parker Pen semi-finalists saw them snuffled out.

The ever-ready Warwick slipped clean through the Scots’ midfield on 36 minutes to claim a deserved try to the right of the posts.

Despite a late lapse in allowing former Scottish wing Logan in for a score at the left corner flag, Connacht maintained a 14-8 lead at the break.

Surely mindful of their collapse from a 25-9 interval lead in these sides’ last encounter in Galway, Bradley’s men stung Glasgow straight after the restart.

Five minutes in and a pop pass from Warwick saw another new man James Downey send Mostyn under the posts.

Parks gave the visitors, second-from-bottom in last year’s competition, added hope with a close range try.

But Connacht quickly snapped back with Warwick adding a penalty to his tally and his replacement Eric Elwood, earning his 152nd provincial cap, converting Muldoon’s late barge over for the westerners’ first league win in five attempts.

Glasgow, meanwhile, are still without a win on Irish soil since a victory at this same venue in December 2001.