Connacht 16 - 3 Newport Gwent Dragons: Connacht ease to vital win

CONNACHT picked up a much-needed win in their battle to move off the bottom of the Magners League as they eased to victory over the Newport Gwent Dragons in Galway.

Fly-half Ian Keatley kicked three penalties and converted Fionn Carr's first-half try to extend Connacht's impressive unbeaten home run, which stretches back to September, and dent the Dragons' play-off hopes.

The outclassed Dragons were restricted to just a single penalty from 20-year-old fly-half Jason Tovey.

That hard graft up front saw Keatley convert two penalty goals after nine and 15 minutes and Michael Bradley's men moved 13-0 ahead at the mid point of the half, when Carr added the finishing touch to a terrific breakaway try.

Keatley added the extras to Carr's 12th try in 16 outings this season. The Dragons, seeking to spoil the St Patrick's Day celebrations, cut the gap to 13-3 at half-time courtesy of Tovey's penalty but they were listless in the second half, as Keatley scored one penalty before missing another two later on.