Connacht 39 N-G Dragons 17:CONNACHT SCORED their first bonus-point win of the season as they took Dragons apart in the second-half at the Sportsground last night with some superb attacking rugby.
It did not look good for Connacht when they trailed 10-3 at the interval in this basement battle but Michael Bradley’s men turned on the style after the restart to run in five tries.
The manner of the win will send them into next weekend’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final away to Northampton in a positive frame of mind.
Connacht’s pack has been strong all season but it was their backline who impressed last night with half-backs Conor O’Loughlin and Ian Keatley superb along with full-back Gavin Duffy whose timing was perfect throughout.
The Dragons, who have only managed to win once in Galway, just had no answer when Connacht stepped up a few gears after the restart.
Both sides enjoyed good periods of dominance in the opening half but the Dragons scored the only try. It came after 22 minutes, just when it seemed Connacht had survived a sustained bout of pressure, from the Welsh right-winger Richard Fussell to squeeze between Duffy and Andrew Browne.
Jason Tovey added the points to push the Dragons 10-3 in front after he had got them off the mark after seven minutes with a penalty from the left and Keatley responded with a drop goal after 12 minutes.
However, it was all Connacht in the second-half as they put the Dragons to the sword.
Ray Ofisa got them back on level terms with a 44th minute try after a superb move involving O’Loughlin, Keatley, Niva Ta’auso and Duffy.
The half-backs were also heavily involved in the second try four minutes later which was finished by Fionn Carr.
Connacht made the game safe after 54 minutes when Keatley did all the running on the blindside and set up Liam Bibo for a score in the left corner.
Keatley added the points and then made the game safe with a 68th-minute penalty which put Connacht 22-10 in front.
That allowed them spread the ball in the closing minutes in search of the bonus point but it came when Ta’auso intercepted on his own ten-metre line and raced to score under the posts.
Connacht did not relent and the superb Gavin Duffy took a brilliant pass from Keatley to send Carr motoring over for his second try in the right corner. Danny Lydiate scored a late consolation try for the Dragons.
CONNACHT: G Duffy; F Carr, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, S Cronin; R Loughney; A Browne, A Farley; J Muldoon, J O'Connor, R Ofisa. Replacements: B McGovern for Loughney (65 mins), A Flavin for Cronin (69 mins), T Nathan for Bibo (74 mins), M Swift for Ofisa (76 mins), A Dunne for Keatley, (78 mins)' C Rigney for O'Connor (78 mins).
DRAGONS: K Morgan; R Fussell, R Sidey, A Smith, A Brew; J Tovey, W Evans; H Gustafson, T Willis, R Thomas; S Tomes, L Charteris; H Macdonald, R Parks, J Bearman. Replacements: A Jones for Tomes (49 mins), N Hall for Gustafson (55 mins), D Lydiate for Parks (55 mins), S Connor for Morgan (69 mins), M Thomas for Sidey (69 mins).
Referee:N Paterson (Scotland).
