| Connacht Cling On For Vital Victory Over Glasgow |
Connacht Rugby |
10 - 6 |
Glasgow Warriors |
| Sportsground Att: 1,145 |
| Friday 30th November 2007, 18:30 |
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| Connacht secured their first Magners League win since the opening day of the season as a try in first half injury-time from hooker Adrian Flavin proved crucial against Glasgow Warriors. |
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| Hooker Adrian Flavin gets over in the left corner for Connacht's all-important try during Friday's clash at the Sportsground |
| © Inpho Photography |
Glasgow Warriors' good run of form came to an end in horrendous conditions at the Sportsground as Connacht battled hard for only their second win of the league campaign, gaining a revenge of sorts for letting a lead slip when the sides met at Firhill in October.
The Warriors won 16-15 that day but coach Sean Lineen admitted that his players were "out-passioned up front" by Connacht's fired-up pack for the first 30 minutes in Galway.
The Connacht side were determined to put in a big performance and a winning one, particularly after last week's collapse at home to their provincial rivals Ulster.
Despite facing into a howling wind and heavy rain, Connacht looked the hungrier in the opening half and Glasgow, who had nine internationals on show from the kick-off, never truly got into their stride.
Dan Parks and company were given little room to manoeuvre by Connacht's refreshed centre pairing of Darren Yapp and Mel Deane.
The Scots did take the lead in the 26th-minute when Parks, the scoring hero in last week's defeat of Cardiff Blues, planted a 42-metre penalty through the uprights.
Lineen's charges were edging the scrum battle but Connacht held the edge at the breakdown with Johnny O'Connor, Michael McCarthy and John Muldoon rucking for their lives.
Glasgow lost their influential captain Alastair Kellock to an elbow injury after 25 minutes but they held onto their 3-0 lead with an excellent defensive effort late in the half.
Connacht looked to turn the screw just after the half-hour mark and they had a concerted spell of pressure in a muddied left corner. A dozen phases later and the westerners were still being kept out by the unyielding Scots.
It was a fantastic defensive effort from Glasgow but they eventually gave way in injury-time when hooker Flavin threw short off a five-metre lineout, took a swift return pass and piled over in the corner for the game's only try.
Andy Dunne, who was making his first start for Connacht since his switch from Leinster, nudged the conversion over with the help of the crossbar and the hosts led 7-3 into the break.
Glasgow upped the pace on the restart and had their best period of the match as they mounted a comeback.
The rain and wind died down but Connacht's ferocity up front continued and a single Parks penalty was all the visitors had to show for their efforts.
With their lead down to 7-6, Connacht dug deep and a smashing tackle from replacement Ray Ofisa on Scottish international Andrew Henderson led to a 62nd-minute penalty chance for Dunne which he took with aplomb.
With chances few and far between, Dunne might have been punished for missing a subsequent drop goal attempt and being off target with a 35-metre penalty kick, but Connacht were not to be denied as they deservedly ended a run of three successive defeats to the Warriors. |
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| First half timeline |
| 23 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - O Palepoi on for A Kellock |
| 26 | Glasgow Warriors | Penalty kick - D Parks |
| 30 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - H O'Hare on for T Evans |
| 38 | Connacht Rugby | Try - A Flavin |
| 38 | Connacht Rugby | Conversion - A Dunne |
| Second half timeline |
| 49 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - S Pinder on for C O'Young |
| 54 | Glasgow Warriors | Penalty kick - D Parks |
| 56 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - R Ofisa Treviranus on for M McCarthy |
| 60 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - C McPhillips on for C O'Loughlin |
| 62 | Connacht Rugby | Penalty kick - A Dunne |
| 63 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - M McCarthy on for J O'Connor |
| 69 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - J Fogarty on for A Flavin |
| 69 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - D Hall on for F Thomson |
| 69 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - J Eddie on for A Newman |
| 76 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - S Barrow on for A Henderson |
| 79 | Glasgow Warriors | Substitution - M Collins on for J Va'a |
| 79 | Connacht Rugby | Substitution - D Gannon on for M Swift |
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