Connacht 17 Scarlets 13:CONNACHT HAVE given themselves a chance of claiming their best Magners League finish after securing a valuable home win over Llanelli Scarlets.
Saturday evening’s win at the Sportsground represented their first league win since overcoming Glasgow in September, and they are now level with the Scottish side in the table.
Although the Scarlets were missing eight internationals, and Connacht were a little rusty after a three-week break, it was Connacht’s second-half doggedness that was ultimately rewarded as outhalf Ian Keatley capitalised with three penalties to swing the contest in the home side’s favour.
In the wet and windy conditions, both sides scored only one try each. Connacht’s came in the 14th minute after number eight Mike McComish fed Frank Murphy from the ruck, and the scrumhalf looped with Keatley before finishing off in the right corner.
Centre Regan King set up winger Gareth Maule for the visitors’ try just after the interval.
CONNACHT: D Duffy; B Tuohy, N Ta'auso, T Nathan, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, J Hagan, M Swift, McCarthy, A Browne, J O'Connor (capt), M McComish. Replacements: R Ah You for Hagan, R Ofisa for McComish (HT).
SCARLETS: D Evans; D Daniel, R King, S Williams, G Maule; D Newton, M Roberts; I Thomas (capt) E Phillips, R Thomas, V Cooper, L Reed, R McClusker, J Edwards, B Morgan. Replacements: N Cudd for Edwards, S Gardiner for Thomas (60 mins), R Lawrence for Phillips, G Davies for Roberts, J Fa'amatuainu for Cooper (all 66 mins). Yellow Card: S Williams (59 mins).
Referee: A McMenemy(SRU).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)