A Tiernan O’Halloran drop goal and Craig Ronaldson’s last-minute penalty capped off a stirring 19-point comeback from Connacht as they floored Cardiff Blues in a ding-dong GUINNESS PRO12 battle at the Arms Park.
Having allowed Cardiff to open up a 13-0 advantage, Connacht came good towards the end of both halves. Matt Healy notched a timely try before the break and then a 77th-minute drop goal from man-of-the-match Tiernan O’Halloran – his first in professional rugby – ultimately proved decisive for the province.
The result saw Connacht secure their first ever season’s double over the Blues and head coach Pat Lam made reference to a couple of recent near misses in Cardiff – defeats in both 2015 (18-17) and 2016 (20-16).
“I’m very proud to come here and do the double after two frustrating games in the last two years, to get one over the line is extremely pleasing,” said Lam.
“There’s a lot of rugby to play, we can still close that gap on the top six (in the PRO12 table). All we can focus on is getting the points and keep chipping away.”
Lam’s charges enhanced their position in eighth overall. They have 13 points to make up on sixth-placed Ulster with vital games in the next three weeks against the Dragons (home), Benetton Treviso (away) and Zebre (home).
John Cooney had the first chance to trouble the scoreboard after Cardiff’s Georgian prop Anton Peikrishvili failed to roll away, but the scrum half’s third-minute penalty was blown wide by the wind howling around the ground.
Wales international Gareth Anscombe made no mistake with his three-pointer after 11 minutes, and he doubled the home side’s lead midway through the first half from 45 metres after Connacht flanker Jake Heenan was caught offside at a ruck.
Both teams were looking to keep ball in hand but, as the half progressed, Cardiff began to press home the advantage and bagged the game’s opening try on 28 minutes. Centre Willis Halaholo weaved his way through the Connacht defence and the Blues kept probing until number 8 Nick Williams forced his way over, Anscombe adding the extras.
A score before half-time was imperative and the visitors duly delivered. Initially, an excellent Jack Carty cross-field kick was collected by Niyi Adeolokun in the 22. Hooker Tom McCartney charged through the middle to move Connacht into the red zone with a perfectly lofted Carty pass finding Healy on the left wing to cross for a superb try. Cooney landed the tricky conversion to make it 13-7 at the turnaround.
That meant Connacht trailed by just six points heading into the second period, and five minutes after the restart, they reduced the deficit further as Cooney split the posts following an Anscombe effort that had rebounded off the left hand post.
Apart from a Josh Navidi break, the tenacious Connacht defence did not allow the hosts an inch with much of the play taking place in the middle of the pitch.
The momentum swung slightly back in the westerners’ favour just after the hour and Cooney’s sweetly-struck 63rd-minute penalty from long range drew the sides level to set up a grandstand finish.
A moment of magic from O’Halloran very nearly moved Connacht into the lead on 69 minutes at the livewire full-back scorched through a gap on the right wing, but his pass to Adeolokun was knocked on by the winger before he could regather it.
Nevertheless, the Connacht replacements made a brilliant impact and provided the spark for the province to move up a gear with scrum half Caolin Blade outstanding after his introduction. Flankers Heenan, who had one terrific break through the middle, and Nepia Fox-Matamua also impressed down the final stretch.
The visitors dominated the closing stages and although Carty nudged a drop goal attempt drift just wide, O’Halloran made no mistake with his effort shortly afterwards and Craig Ronaldson’s monster penalty in the last play rubber-stamped a hard-fought away win.
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