Cardiff earn first win in Ireland

Connacht 8 Cardiff Blues 18

Jonny Vaughton’s two tries saw Cardiff Blues put pressure on the Celtic League’s leading three as they edged Connacht at the Sportsground.

Right wing Vaughton – who turned 23 yesterday – touched down in either half as Connacht’s jinx of not having beaten the Blues since August 2001 continued.

Fly-half Nick Macleod sealed the win for Dai Young’s side – their second in six days, following an eight-game losing streak – with two second half penalties, after Connacht had hit the front through centre James Downey’s first-minute try.

Michael Bradley’s men – gunning for their fifth win in six Galway outings - scored off a neat Paul Warwick chip through after only 65 seconds.

The Australian’s kick was collected by onrushing wing Conor McPhillips, whose quick step around Craig Morgan put ex-Leinster starlet Downey galloping over to the right of the posts.

Controversy then reigned as Cardiff flanker Nathan Thomas was allowed to boot Warwick’s conversion off its tee.

Scottish referee Malcolm Changleng had adjudged that 24-year-old Warwick had begun his run-up despite still being in a crouched position.

That seemed to disrupt Connacht, whose lineout misfired, as the Blues came more and more into the game.

Macleod watched his fifth minute penalty slam off an upright but the Welsh were back level on 14 minutes as skipper Tom Shanklin’s midfield break put Vaughton over in the right corner.

The young winger was unfortunate not to nab his second two minutes later when knocking on at the base of a ruck, only metres from glory.

Then Macleod saw another kick screw wide before McPhillips’ injury-time hand trip saw Shanklin kept out.

Dean Dewdney’s sin-binning for preventing a quick release turned the tie in the home side’s favour, and Warwick obliged for an 8-5 break lead with his second attempt in added time.

Both kickers missed a series of penalty shots in the second half, with Macleod the guiltier with two.

But the 21-year-old did send over two on 55 and 73 minutes, sandwiching Vaughton’s clever 69th-minute kick through and collect try under the posts, to earn Cardiff’s first win on Irish soil since last March.