Cardiff Blues 58

Connacht 0

Connacht fell to a heavy defeat at the Arms Park on Friday night against a Cardiff side which hit top gear.

Most of the damage was done in the second quarter when Cardiff hit for 36 unanswered points.

That gave them an interval lead of 46-0 to wrap up the issue.

Connacht battled bravely in the second-half and stemmed the flow but Cardiff started and finished the half with tries.

Cardiff Blues:

Tries: Halfpenny (2), Sweeney (2),Roberts, G Thomas, Molitika, R Thomas, Filise.

Cons: Sweeney (4), N Robinson.

Pen: Sweeney.

Cardiff Blues: L Halfpenny
; R Mustoe
,J Robinson
, J Roberts, G Thomas
; C Sweeney
, J Spice; J Yapp, T Rhys Thomas, G Powell; D Jones, P Tito; M Molitika, R Sowden Taylor, A Powell.

Replacements: R Rees for Spice, 35 mins; R Williams for Rhys Thomas, half-time; X Rush for Molitika, half-time; S Morgan for Powell, 42 mins; T Shanklin for J Robinson, 53 mins; N Robinson for Sweeney, 58 mins; T Filise for G Powell, 63 mins.

Connacht: F Carr; A Wynne, J Hearty, M Deane, M Roberts; A Dunne, F Murphy; J Lyne, A Flavin, R Morris; A Browne, M Swift; J Muldoon, J O’Connor, C Rigney.

Replacements: S Cronin for Flavin, 48 mins; M McCarthy for Muldoon, 54 mins; K Campbell for Murphy, 55 mins; R Loughney for Lyne, 60 mins; L Bibo for Roberts, 60 mins.

Referee: C Damasco (Italy).