Connacht 16 Edinburgh Gunners 22: Edinburgh Gunners ended Connacht's slim hopes of making the Heineken Cup qualification play-off as they ran in three tries at the Sportsground tonight.
Having led the Scots from the second until the 71st minute Connacht, the Celtic League's basement side, were left reeling as Scottish international Marcus Di Rollo slipped through a gap for the deciding try.
Gunners captain Chris Paterson converted to condemn Connacht to their first home defeat in six games - a run that stretches back to December.
Playing on a Friday night and using their new floodlights for the first time, Connacht had scorched into a 10-0 lead by the ninth minute. It was all change from Connacht's 34-3 hammering at Murrayfield in September.
Towering captain Andrew Farley got up well to claim the kick-off and the Connacht pack rumbled forward, earning a second-minute penalty for fly-half Mark McHugh to punt over.
An excellent rolling maul up the left flank, with hooker John Fogarty and number eight Colm Rigney particularly prominent, carved out a try for scrum-half Tom Tierney - his first ever in the League. Into the teeth of a strong wind, McHugh did excellently to convert for a 10-0 buffer.
Perhaps with Heineken Cup qualification already assured, Todd Blackadder's Gunners outfit were slow out of the blocks. Paterson missed a gilt-edged penalty chance in front of the posts but made amends on 39 minutes when he slotted over to cut the deficit at half-time to 10-3.
McHugh replied, three minutes after the break, to push Connacht 13-3 clear but the tie suddenly turned in Edinburgh's favour, five minutes later.
First, Connacht lost Fogarty to the sin bin for repeatedly killing ruck ball and from the next drive, loosehead prop Alasdair Dickinson plopped over for his second try of the campaign.
McHugh again answered with a sweetly struck penalty, however it was tries that were going to win this one and with the bit between their teeth, Edinburgh executed their chances in a clinical fashion.
On 63 minutes, the visitors' pack exerted enough close-in pressure for Welsh referee Phil Fear to reward them with a penalty try. Paterson converted and Connacht's lead was down to 16-15.
The home side, as typified by McHugh who launched an 85-metre touch finder at one stage to relieve the pressure, battled bravely.
But Edinburgh secured themselves the honour of being the top-ranked Scottish team in the League for the second time in three seasons with centre Di Rollo's 15-metre run in.
