Benetton 18
Connacht 14
CONNACHT WERE HIT with a sucker-punch in the final play of a tough contest at Stadio Monigo as Benetton struck for a last-gasp winner in this crunch URC tie.
Connacht had hit the front for the first time five minutes from time but were unable to hold out and now face an uphill battle to make it to the knockout stages of the league or qualify for next season’s Champions Cup with five games left.
The visitors started poorly and found themselves 10-0 adrift after 15 minutes but they recovered well and by the interval they had 59% possession and reduced the margin to three points.
Hopes that Connacht might lay down an early marker after the dismal showing against the Lions did not materialise as they were twice pinged on their own scrum inside their 22 and Benetton made them pay, going wide through the half-backs for Argentine winger Ignacio Mendy to touch down one-handed in the right corner.
Jacob Umaga added a superb conversion from the touchline and after Connacht twice knocked on in promising positions inside the home 22, the former Wasps out-half extended their lead with a penalty from 40 metres.
But Connacht, who lost Munster-bound winger Diarmuid Kilgallen to an arm/shoulder injury, settled into the game with Cian Prendergast, Jack Aungier and Niall Murray leading the way.
They deservedly got back in contention eight minutes from the break when replacement winger Shayne Bolton mopped up a Benetton attack to counter and after going wide, Prendergast chased his own grubber down the right and won a penalty.
Skipper Jack Carty went down the line, they worked it infield with scrum-half feeding lock Niall Murray and he cantered through to score under the posts. Carty converted to make it 10-7.
Aungier blocked down a clearance from scrum-half Alessandro Garbisi but full-back Rhyno Smith was on hand to prevent the prop scoring as Connacht finished the half growing in confidence.
But it was abundantly clear in the third quarter that there was so much hanging on this encounter as both sides were tentative and the basic errors kept mounting.
Carty was off target with a penalty just to the left on the 22 after 45 minutes, while at the other end Prendergast executed a brilliant turnover under his posts after Benetton worked the phases infield from a lineout five minutes later.
Benetton finally got the first score of the second half when Umaga extended their lead 12 minutes from time with a penalty from 25 metres.
But the Connacht response was good and they worked the ball patiently through the phases down the right before coming infield and Predergast picked and got over beside the posts. Carty added the extras to lead 14-13 with five minutes remaining.
Connacht were disciplined as Benetton, who went into the game level on points with them, piled on the pressure and Pete Wilkins’ men looked set for an invaluable win when Umaga’s drop goal from distance went narrowly wide.
But there was time for one final attack and this time Benetton went wide on the right with new Italian winger Alessandro Izekor, who made his international debut in the Six Nations, took a pass from former Munster player Malakai Fekitoa and escaped the clutches of Tiernan O’Halloran and David Hawkshaw to score the winner in the right corner.
Scorers for Benetton: Tries: Mendy, Izekor. Con: Umaga (1 from 2). Pens: Umaga (2 from 2).
Scorers for Connacht: Tries: N Murray, Prendergast. Cons: Carty (2 from 2). Pen: Carty (0 from 1).
Benetton: Rhyno Smith (Tomas Albornoz ’77); Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello (Malakai Fekitoa ’72), Ignacio Brex, Onisi Ratave; Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi (Andy Uren ’45), Thomas Gallo (Mirco Spagnolo ’56), Giacomo Nicotera (Bautista Bernasconi ’49), Giosuè Zilocchi (Tiziano Pasquali ’60); Niccolò Cannone (Federico Ruzza ’65), Eli Snyman (c), Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro (Lorenzo Cannone ’25), Toa Halafihi
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran, Diarmuid Kilgallen (Shayne Bolton ’17), David Hawkshaw, Cathal Forde (Shane Jennings’ 54), Andrew Smith, Jack Carty (c), Michael McDonald (Colm Reilly ’46), Jordan Duggan (Denis Buckley ’54), Dave Heffernan (Eoin de Buitléar ‘69), Jack Aungier (Sam Illo ’54), Niall Murray, Joe Joyce (Darragh Murray ‘2-11, 54), Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle (Jarrad Butler ’60).
Ref: Morne Ferreira (South Africa).