Ospreys break Connacht hoodoo

Connacht 13 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 22

Two of Wales’ Lions prospects, Gavin Henson and Shane Williams, touched down in Galway as Celtic League champions the Ospreys ended their Connacht hoodoo with Celtic League success.

Lyn Jones’ side – beaten in their previous three outings against the Irish province – bagged three first-half tries, all set up by the incisive passing of Wales Under-21 player Matthew Jones, to dampen the mood of Connacht veteran Eric Elwood’s final home game.

Lining out for the 170th time, the 36-year-old Elwood led out a home side in desperate need of a first league victory at the Sportsground since November.

And while the Irishmen struck first through a third-minute penalty from Mark McHugh, the Ospreys managed to tally up a devastating 22-3 lead through their free-running backs.

Three tries in 11 minutes from the Welsh region carved open Connacht, after Henson had initially levelled things at 3-3 on 18 minutes.

Four minutes later, fly-half Jones popped an inside pass for Jonathan Thomas to out pace covering Connacht prop Stephen Knoop for the line.

Having drilled over the conversion, Henson then became the first player through the league’s 500-point barrier as a Jones flick saw the Ospreys full-back outmuscle both Darren Yapp and Matt Mostyn to touch down in the right corner.

Then on 33 minutes, a swift move involving delicate hands from Jones, Henson and David Bishop put left wing Williams over in the left corner, for Henson to cannily curl the conversion in.

A brace of Ospreys sin-binnings late in the first half for James Bater and Adam Jones – both for cynical infringements with their try line under threat - allowed Connacht back into it.

They took full advantage as flanker Matt Lacey bulldozed over on an injury-time lineout drive for his fourth try in three games.

A foot trip from Knoop on Stefan Terblanche saw Connacht down to 14 men in the closing stages of the first half and although Elwood missed the extras of Lacey’s try, the home result was still in the balance.

A scoreless second half was ended in the fourth minute of injury time by a Mostyn try but with McHugh missing the conversion, luckless Connacht lost out on a much-needed bonus point.