Connacht failed to overturn a full strength Treviso on Friday night but earned a valuable bonus point in the process. 3614 Connacht supporters were treated to a fine start and Connacht’s early pressure resulted in a penalty deep in the Treviso half but the windy conditions got the better of Niall O’Connor’s lick and it was Treviso who scored 1st with a de Waal penalty after 11 minutes. Fullback Ludovico Nitoglia rounded the defence to score the game’s  1st try after 15 miuntes which de Wall converted and 10 minutes later Tommaso Iannone hacked the ball ahead and scored a try when the majority of the Connacht team, and the Clan Terrace, thought the ball had gone into touch. Man of the Match Dave McSharry looked dangerous throughout the 1st half and got his reward on the halfhour mark, crossing for a well worked try after the Connacht forwards drove the Treviso defence back and set up a platform for the backs to work from. There were some fine performances across the Connacht team with the pack earning territory and possession through superb rucking and mauling whilst the backline challenged the Treviso defence with hard running and great attacking lines. 2 second half penalties from Niall O’Connor brought Connacht back to within a score of the visitors but it wasn’t to be and the final score ended Connacht 13 Treviso 15
Connacht:
Gavin Duffy, Mark McCrea, Kyle Tonetti, Dave McSharry, Tiernan O’Halloran, Niall O’Connor, Frank Murphy, Brett Wilkinson, Ethienne Reynecke, Ronan Loughney, Michael Swift, George Naoupu, Dave Gannon, John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa
Replacements:
Adrian Flavin, Denis Buckley, Rodney Ah You, Mick Kearney, Eoghan Grace, Paul O’Donohoe, Matthew Jarvis, Fetu’u Vainikolo

Treviso:
L Nitoglia, T Iannone, E Galon, A Pratichetti, B Williams, W De Waal, f Semenzato, M Rizzo, F Sbaraglini, I Fernandez-Rouyet, F Minto, B Vermaak, M Vosawai, P Derbyshire, M Filippucci
Replacements:
D Vidal, M Muccignat, L Cittadini, C Van Zyl, V Bernabo, G Padro, E Gori, K Burton

Pictures: (Above Left) John Muldoon breaks through the Treviso line, (Above) Dave McSharry scores his 1st Connacht try, (Above) Ray Ofisa earning his 100th cap for Connacht. All Pics (C) www.INPHO.ie - James Crombie & Cathal Noonan