Connacht 13 - 13 Glasgow: Warriors play-off drive stalls

Published on Sunday 19 February 2012 01:42

Glasgow Warriors were forced to settle for a share of the spoils when old foes Connacht grabbed a last-minute penalty at the Galway Sportsground last night.

The Warriors, who had led 7-3 at the break, looked poised to rack up their sixth Rabodirect Pro12 win on the trot and continue their push for the play-offs when they led the home side 13-10 going into the final minutes. But they conceded two vital penalties.

From the second, when the Warriors pack were penalised at a scrum, Connacht had one final shot and stand-off Niall O’Connor took advantage to send his kick from 30 metres out through the upright.

It was a bitter pill for the visitors who, having failed to beat Connacht at home since 2007, had on this occasion deserved the full points. Instead it cost them a place in the league table as they dropped below Munster. And, with the top Irish province Leinster to come next week, it does not get any easier.

“We are still in control of our own destiny, but it makes it that little bit harder,” says coach Sean Lineen.

“This is like a loss to us because the guys are working very hard and I cannot speak hard enough of the work ethic and the culture within the group,.

“Our belief is high, but we need to transfer that on to the paddock in terms of patience and maturity. The team effort is outstanding, but there are key individuals who need to learn and we will do that.

“As a team we did enough to win the game. For long periods we were down the right end of the pitch, but it was individual decisions and individual execution. We are learning at the hard end, and we will take the two points – it should have been four.”

It was dogged stuff, reflective of previous struggles between these two sides where both defences have been unyielding. But Glasgow, camped on their opponents line for the final ten minutes, were unlucky when Connacht’s two flankers John Muldoon and Eoghan Grace shunted fullback Peter Murchie into touch inches from the line after replacement prop Gordon Reid had broken through from the ruck to set up field position.

Minutes later and still laying siege with pick and go tactics, replacement stand-off Duncan Weir opted to chip through. Connacht’s Eoin Griffin grabbed possession and sent the ball downfield, from where Connacht grabbed their equalising penalty.

Lineen added: “We panicked a bit and the P word, patience, we didn’t have it. But we will learn from that. Now we have a massive game against Leinster. We know each other well and played them in the Heineken Cup – they are two-one up at the moment so it will concentrate the minds.

“On reflection a two points is the good kick up the backside we need. Our defence is outstanding the attitude is brilliant, but the guys now need to back that up in attack.”

Certainly Lineen was the happier of the two coaches at half time. The Warriors held a four-point lead after what can only be described as a scrappy and dull opening half from both sides – and it did not really ignite after the break. Neither side grabbed control of this contest, which was punctuated by a host of handling errors and errant kicking, but it was Glasgow who took an unlikely lead midway through the half on a rare visit to their opponents’ 22. Connacht had dominated territory in the first 20 minutes, keeping Glasgow pinned inside their half, but they had little to show for their efforts. O’Connor’s seventh-minute penalty effort shaved the uprights after the forwards got the heave in the scrum, forcing the Warriors to collapse, and although the Warriors were pinged at the breakdown, their well organised defence withstood anything Connacht threw at them.

The Warriors first foray into their opponents’ half came courtesy of a chip ahead and block down, paving the way for their first assault on the Connacht line. However, scrum-half Henry Pyrgos’ rushed effort at a drop goal was poor and Glasgow found themselves back in their own half, conceding a penalty for failing to roll away at the breakdown. O’Connor was short with his effort, which gave the Warriors hope, particularly when prop Jon Welsh burst through from a series of rucks to post his side’s only try. Ruaridh Jackson converted for a 7-0 lead after 26 minutes, and it took until the stroke of half-time before O’Connor posted a score for the home side after Glasgow were penalised in the maul.

However, Jackson stretched the lead after his forwards forced a similar penalty from Connacht, while left wing David Lemi’s drop goal effort never looked like making the distance a couple of minutes later.

Instead Connacht were handed a chance when wing Tom Seymour was yellow carded for killing the ball after a break upfield by Tiernan O’Halloran and, three minutes later, the Connacht left wing grabbed the ball when it bounced kindly and crossed. O’Connor nailed the conversion to level affairs. Glasgow edged back into the lead when Connacht flanker Grace was penalised for obstruction and Weir potted the 68th-minute effort. It should have been enough for Glasgow’s first win in Galway since 2007 until Connacht’s last-minute lifeline.

The last occasion the two sides drew at the Sportsground, Glasgow went on to contest the semi-finals.

“When we got into the play-offs, we got two points over here,” Lineen said. “Maybe it’s a good omen.”

Scorers: Connacht: Try: O’Halloran Con: O’Connor. Pens: O’Connor (2). Glasgow: Try: Welsh Con: Jackson. Pens: Jackson, Weir.

Connacht: Duffy (c); Vainikolo, Tonetti, Fa’afili O’Halloran; O’Connor, O’Donohoe; Wilkinson, Flavin, Loughney, Swift, McCarthy, Muldoon, Grace, Naoupu. Subs: D Moore for O’Donohoe (51m), Griffin for Tonetti (59m), Gannon for Grace (71m).

Glasgow: Murchie, Seymour, Nathan, Morrison (c), Lemi, Jackson, Pyrgos, Grant, MacArthur, Welsh, Verbakel, Ryder, Harley, Fusaro, Wilson. Subs: Gillies for MacArthur, Weir for Jackson and Forrester for Wilson (all 63m), Reid for Grant and Shaw for Lemi (both 66m).

Referee: P Allan. Attendance: 4,189

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jimmybro

Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 09:54 AM

The best of Scottish against the worst of Irish and Welsh and we come away with a draw and a whooping. Even given the loss of the international players we should be able to beat these teams. Why do Glasgow and Edinburgh always struggle against Connacht and the Dragons? If we can't beat the worst teams we are never going to challenge for the title .............................................................................................. On a separate note, as the Welsh regions introduce a salary cap that apparently makes them look uncompetitive, have the SRU stepped in to suggest taking on one of the Welsh Pro12 franchises so we could get a 3rd team going? The Welsh could then split the disbanded teams budget into the remaining regions and Scotland could have more pro players getting game time. Win win (except for the Welsh players who lose their jobs)

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