Connacht’s top six hopes slide as Glasgow go top

Connacht 13 Glasgow Warriors 31

Connacht’s hopes of claiming a top six position in the Guinness Pro 12 suffered a blow at the Sportsground on Saturday as Glasgow Warriors secured a bonus-point victory to jump back to the top of the table.

Connacht had already been overtaken for the vital Champions Cup qualification sport prior to kick-off after’s Edinburgh’s demolition of Zebre in Murrayfield on Friday evening.

Despite a promising start, Connacht found themselves down 6-19 at the break with the Scottish side showing all their pace to run in three tries in the opening half.

Connacht were off the mark on six minutes, thanks to an enormous scrum which turned over possession, and following some aggressive work at the breakdown, outhalf Jack Carty capitalised with an opening penalty.

All the pressure in those opening stages came from the home side, and they put themselves in a great position to score four minutes later with a series of scrums on the Glasgow line. After five resets and an ensuing penalty, Connacht unfathomably gave away the free and the opportunity was lost.

Carty, however, was successful with a 16th-minute penalty, extending the lead to six, before the visitors replied with their first try on 24 minutes. Having withstood Glasgow pressure, Connacht failed to control possession in the scrum, and Niko Matawalu took advantage to turn defence in attack, escaping fullback Tiernan O'Halloran to dive over in the right corner.

Scottish outhalf Finn Russell missed the conversion, while at the other end Carty was wide with two penalties after the visitors continued to offend at the breakdown.

Frustratingly for Connacht, they conceded a rare penalty and Glasgow made it count when after a dropped pass, Tommy Seymour found a willing Stuart Hogg who dashed in for a second soft try after 37 minutes with Russell converting. And when a wily Matawalu intercepted Robbie Henshaw's attempted pass out of defence, Glasgow finished the half with a third try, Russell again converting.

Connacht, however, regained control in the second half and the lopsided penalty count continued in their favour. They finally made it count on 52 minutes when Aly Muldowney was awarded the touchdown by the TMO from a close-in ruck after Henshaw was held up on the line. Carty added the conversion to bring the game within a score, but missed a kickable penalty four minutes later.

Glasgow, however, finished with a flourish. Hogg's counterattack set up No 8 Adam Ashe for the fourth try, with Russell converting, and they wrapped up a big win in the 67th minute when Seymour crossed in the corner.

CONNACHT: T O'Halloran; D Poolman, R Henshaw, B Aki, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion; D Buckley, T McCartney, R Ah You; U Dillane, A Muldowney; J Muldoon (cpt), E Masterson, E McKeon.

Replacements: J Cooney for Marmion (49 mins), A Browne for Dillane and D Leader for O'Halloran (54 mins), M Nikora for Carty and G Naoupu for Masterson (62 mins), R Loughney for Buckley and F Bealham for Ah You (68 mins), S Delahunt for McCartney (74 mins).

GLASGOW: S Hoggs; T Seymour, R Vernon, P Horne, N Matawalu; F Russell, H Pyrgos; J Yanuyanutawa, F Brown, E Murray; L Nakarawa, J Gray (capt); R Harley, C Fusaro, A Ashe.

Replacements: R Grant for Yanuyanutawa and J Welch for Murray (41 mins), K Bryce for Brown (51 mins), T Swinson for Nakarawa and J Strauss for Harley (52 mins), D Weir for Russell (68 mins), L Jones for Matawalu (70 mins), P Murchie for Strauss (72 mins). Yellow cards: Glasgow: T Seymour (46 mins), C Fusaro (59 mins).

Referee: M Mitrea (Italy).