Connacht came agonisingly close to overturning the league leaders Leinster at the Sportsground on Sunday evening.

Referee John Lacey had to consult the TMO after Mia Nikora’s 80^th minute drop goal attempt was too close to call. The effort was just short and denied Connacht a famous victory on an evening where they outscored Leinster two tries to nil. Man of the match Isa Nacewa kicked all 15 of Leinster’s points with the visitors threatening the Connacht try line just twice, being held up the first time and turned over the second.

Connacht got off to a roaring start and Matthew Jarvis, a late replacement for Niall O’Connor, had the first opportunity at goad after just 6 minutes. His effort drifted wide, as did a 10th minute attempt but after 13 minutes he put Connacht in the lead after Leinster’s ill-discipline started to show. Nacewa levelled things 3 minutes later though and added further points after 20, 33 and 48 minutes.

Tiernan O’Halloran brought Connacht back into the game after 56 minutes, finishing off a sweeping move which started deep inside the Connacht half. Following some excellent work by the Connacht pack the Connacht backline sprung into action and after first moving the ball left, then right O’Halloran spotted the gap and dived in the corner. Matthew Jarvis couldn’t add the extras and Nacewa broadened the gap 7 minutes later, making it 5 kicks from 5.

Ethienne Reynecke picked up Connacht’s second try from the back of a driving maul after Leo Cullen was sin-binned for a dangerous tack, taking out the Connacht lineout jumper mid-flight. Mia Nikora missed the conversion which would have levelled proceedings and with the clock stopped at 80 minutes his longrange dropgoal attempt would have sealed the game for Connacht. Instead another tough defeat to take, though the losing bonus point will be of some consolation to Eric Elwood’s men.

Next up an away trip to Aironi and following that we’re back into Heineken Cup mode with a trip to the South of France to take on the current French leaders Toulouse. Connacht’s final Heineken Cup pool game is on the 20^th January, tickets are on sale now (www.ticketmaster.ie) and supporters are urged to purchase their tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Connacht:

Gavin Duffy, Brian Tuohy, Eoin Griffin, Kyle Tonetti, Tiernan O’Halloran, Matthew Jarvis, Paul O’Donohoe, Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Ronan Loughney, George Naoupu, Mike McCarthy, Mick Kearney, Johnny O’Connor, John Muldoon

Replacements:

Ethienne Reynecke, Denis Buckley, Dylan Rogers, TJ Anderson, Eoin McKeon, Frank Murphy, Mia Nikora, Henry Fa’afili

Leinster:

Isa Nacewa, Dave Kearney, Eoin O’Malley, Brendan Macken, Andre Conway, Ian Madigan, Isaac Boss, Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Jamie Hagan, Leo Cullen, Damian Browne, Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings, Leo Auva’a

Replacements:

Sean Cronin, Heinke Van der Merwe, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Jordi Murphy, John Cooney, Noel Reid, Fionn Carr

Pictures: (above right) Mike McCarthy shrugs off the challenge of Rhys Ruddock, (above left) Tiernan O'Halloran on the way to scoring Connacht's 1st try of the night and (below) Ethienne Reynecke crosses the whitewash. All pics (C) www.inpho.ie / James Crombie & Dan Sheridan