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By John O’Sullivan
Connacht 21
Leinster 50
Connacht fell to a 21-50 defeat to Leinster in a GuinnessPRO14 Rainbow Cup clash at The Sportsground.
Despite the hosts leading 16-0 early in the first half, the away team recovered to score eight tries in an impressive performance. Caolin Blade and Peter Sullivan touched down for tries for the home team and the boot of Conor Fitzgerald tacked on eleven points through three penalties and a conversion.
The home team began with a physical and attacking intent and their ambition yielded early points through two Fitzgerald penalties, both of which were slotted home with conviction.
If Connacht’s beginning to the game was marked by aggression in attack, they were equally hungry to impose themselves on the other side of the ball.
With their defensive line keen to blitz, the hosts forced an interception and Blade -- showing an intelligent reading of the game -- plucked a Leinster pass and ran in for the try. Fitzgerald once again showed composure with the boot and the Westerners lead 13-0.
With their tails up, Connacht continued to push and probe for more scores. A puncturing run from Sean O’Brien blasted through the visitor's defence and established field position for the hosts in the 22. From there, they earned a penalty and Fitzgerald kept his 100% rate off the tee up with a kick that nudged the home team into a 16-0 lead.
To their credit, though, Leinster recovered and began to exert themselves into the game after a powerful opening 15 minutes from Connacht. The Eastern province ran in five tries in a twenty-five-minute period with Irish international Hugo Keenan(2), and James Treacy touching down while Ross Molony and Cian Kelleher also crossed the whitewash. Ross Byrne was accurate with four of his five conversions and the away team went into the halftime break leading 33-16.
The away team began the second half in a similar manner and they had their sixth try when recently selected Lion Andrew Porter touched down at the tail of a rolling maul and -- with Byrne adding the extras -- Leinster broke the forty-point mark.
With all the momentum behind them, the away team added their seventh score of the evening when Scott Fardy touched down after a rolling maul surged towards the line.
Connacht -- with replacement Abraham Papali’i prominent in the ball carrying stakes -- improved thereafter and they dotted down their second try after Fitzgerald’s looping pass found Sullivan and the winger showed both pace and strength to burst through the defence and touch down to take the score to 21-45.
Leinster had the last say when Keenan completed his hattrick and capped the win for the Eastern province at 21-50.
Connacht team:
(15-9)
15: John Porch
14: Peter Sullivan
13: Sean O’Brien
12: Tom Daly
11: Matt Healy
10: Conor Fitzgerald
9: Caolin Blade
(8-1)
8: Jarrad Butler(C)
7: Conor Oliver
6: Eoghan Masterson
5: Gavin Thornbury
4: Niall Murray
3: Finlay Bealham
2: Dave Heffernan
1: Denis Buckley
Replacements: Jonny Murphy for Dave Heffernan, Matthew Burke for Denis Buckley, Dominic Robertson McCoy for Finlay Bealham, Cian Prendergast for Conor Oliver, Abraham Papali’i for Jarrad Butler, Kieran Marmion for Blade, Sammy Arnold for John Porch, Oran McNulty for Matt Healy.
