Oisin McCormack try seals bonus point for Connacht away at Zebre

Connacht players celebrate after Oisin McCormack scored a bonus point try. Pic: Tim Rogers/Sportsfile

URC: Zebre 15 Connacht 31 

Oisin McCormack crowned his first appearance of the season by snatching the bonus point try in the eleventh minute of stoppage time in Parma.

The Ballinasloe native came off the bench and scored off a lineout to ensure Connacht secured all five points in this URC basement clash at Stadio Lanfranchi in Parma.

Connacht struggled for long periods against a Zebre side who had eight players away on Six Nations duty with Italy but they were rewarded for battling away to the end.

Connacht, minus the three players in Andy Farrell’s squad in addition to the suspended Bundee Aki, trailed 3-0 at the end of a dreadful opening half where Chay Mullins had a try scratched after outhalf Josh Ioane was harshly pinged for a knock-on a phase earlier when he stretched to score.

Connacht finished the half strongly but couldn’t find a way through despite a few penalties to the corner with Jack Aungier coming closest seven minutes from the break when he stretched but was unable to ground the ball as Zebre lock Matteo Canali prevented him and it remained 3-0 at the break.

It took Connacht just 45 seconds after the restart to hit the front when Cathal Forde charged down a clearance from outhalf Martin Roger Farias and while he was stopped in the left corner, scrumhalf Caolin Blade was on hand to feed Joe Joyce and send then lock over.

Full-back Sam Gilbert, who came into the game with a 94% success rate from the tee landed the conversion from the left to make it 7-3.

Connacht got control of the game after 50 minutes when No.8 Sean Jansen squeezed through to score under the posts after multiple drives had been stopped short.

Scrumhalf Gonzalo Garcia pulled back a try for Zebre after 56 minutes but he was then binned for a deliberate knock-on and Connacht punished them when Jansen got in for his second try 19 minutes from the end, with the conversion putting the lead out to 21-8.

Winger Mullins was also binned for a deliberate knock-on after 72 minutes and Connacht faced a nervous finish when replacement Bautista Stavile scored off a lineout six minutes from time with the conversion reducing the gap to 21-15.

Gilbert secured the win with a penalty from the right after 78 minutes after skipper Paul Boyle opted to ensure victory than risk a turnover if they went to the corner.

It turned out to be a wise move as both teams kept the ball alive as the clock went into the red with the Italians hoping for a losing bonus point and Connacht going for all five and they were rewarded in the 91st minute when replacement Oisin McCormack scored from a lineout drove after Zebre centre Marco Zanon became the third player to be binned for a deliberate knock-on as Connacht pressed in the corner.

Gilbert maintained his superb form off the tee by landing the conversion from the right wing to secure their third win of the campaign.

Scorers for Zebre: Tries: G Garcia, B Stavile. Con: M Roger Farias. Pen: Roger Farias.

Scorers for Connacht: Tries: S Jansen (2), J Joyce, O McCormack. Cons: S Gilbert (4). Pen: Gilbert.

ZEBRE: G Montemauri (E Lucchin 58); M Belloni, G Bertaccini, M Zanon, S Gesi; M Roger Farias, G Garcia (T Dominguez 71); P Buonfiglio (L Franceschetto 66), G Ribaldi (S Klein 71), E Pieretto (J Pitinari 47); M Canali (A Ortombina 58), L Krumov (c) (F Carrera 71); G Ferrari (T Dominguez 63), I Bianchi, D Ruggeri (B Stavile 50).

CONNACHT: S Gilbert; S Jennings, H West, C Forde, C Mullins; J Ioane (S Naughton 65), C Blade (B Murphy 72); J Duggan (P Dooley 50), D Tierney-Martin (M Victory 70), J Aungier (F Barrett 50); J Murphy (D O’Connor 58), J Joyce (N Murray 67); P Boyle (c) (O McCormack 41-43), S O’Brien (McCormack 58), S Jansen.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)