Hard-fought victory for Connacht over battling Glasgow

The western province made it two wins from two in their URC campaign. 

TWO WINS FROM TWO: Connacht's Diarmuid Kilgallen runs in Connacht's third try. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady

United Rugby Championship: Connacht 34 Glasgow Warriors 26

Connacht notched their second win in a row as two tries from winger Diarmuid Kilgallen paved the way for a deserved victory over a strong Glasgow Warriors side at the Sportsground.

But while Connacht ousted a Glasgow side with eight of Scotland’s World Cup squad — along with Tongan flanker Sione Vailanu — Connacht will be disappointed not to have secured a bonus point in a game they wrapped up going into the final quarter.

However, with their three World Cup players to come back into the squad, head coach Pete Wilkins will be pleased with the start to his reign at the Sportsground and will now look to build on it against Ulster next weekend.

Connacht had 62% possession in the opening half but went in trailing by three tries to one on a 19-14 scoreline as Glasgow Warriors made the most of some poor defending from limited opportunities.

Three penalties from JJ Hanrahan in the opening 15 minutes eased Connacht into a 9-0 lead and they looked set to pull away.

But from the restart after the third penalty Cathal Forde, who had started so impressively, failed to control Tom Jordan’s kick and it bounced kindly into the path of Kyle Rowe and the Scottish international crowned his Glasgow debut with a try which George Horne converted on their first visit inside the 22.

Connacht hit back four minutes later and a good break by Tom Daly created the opening and scrum-half Caolin Blade threaded a grubber which Kilgallen chased to score in the left corner.

Glasgow started to build the phases and their second visit to the red zone also yielded a try with referee Adam Jones awarding a penalty and binning Connacht No.8 Jarrad Butler for side-entry as Warriors pounded towards the home line after a lineout penalty to the left corner.

That tied the game at 14-14 and when the Connacht scrum, with centre Forde stepping in for Butler, superbly defended four resets five metres from their line before Glasgow tighthead Zander Fagerson was pinged for wheeling, it seemed they would go in level at the break.

But Connacht conceded a sloppy try before the break when they failed to defend an attacking lineout and out-half Jordan cantered his way through for their third try.

Connacht regained the initiative after the restart and a try from hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin after a few surges from a lineout after 47 set them on their way, with Forde converting taking over the kicking duties after Hanrahan suffered a knee injury landing awkwardly.

Two penalties from the left boot of Forde pushed the lead out to 27-19 after 58 minutes before Kilgallen wrapped up the issue when he intercepted a pass from Jordan inside halfway — although it took a few views from officials before deeming his one-handed touchdown was legitimate. Forde’s conversion made it 34-19 with 19 minutes remaining.

Connacht never looked like getting the try bonus point despite having the game in the bag and it was Glasgow who finished the stronger with Jamie Dobie getting in for a late try to secure a bonus point at the death with their fourth try.

Scorers:

Connacht: Tries: D Kilgallen (2), D Tierney-Martin. Cons: C Forde (2). Pens: JJ Hanrahan (3), C Forde (2).

Glasgow Warriors: Tries: K Rowe, T Jordan, J Dobie, penalty try. Con: G Horne (1), D Weir (1).

Connacht: T O’Halloran (C Reilly 75); B Ralston, T Farrell (L McNamara 41), C Forde, D Kilgallen; JJ Hanrahan, C Blade (c); D Buckley (P Dooley 60), D Tierney-Martin (T McElroy 16), J Aungier (D Robertson-McCoy 50); N Murray (O Dowling 52), J Joyce (D Murray 61); C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler (C Oliver 63).

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; K Rowe, H Jones, S McDowall, K Steyn (c) (J Dobie 38); T Jordan (D Weir 75), G Horne; O Kebble (N McBeth 59), A Fraser (J Matthews 43), Z Fagerson (L Sordoni 60); S Cummings, R Gray (G Peterson 60); G Brown (R Darge 43), S Vailanu (A Miller 62), H Venter.

Referee: Adam Jones (Wales) Attendance: 4,109.