Connacht 12
Glasgow Warriors 18
KIERAN KEANE’S REIGN at the Sportsground got off to a losing start in dreadful conditions against a Glasgow side who they have now only defeated six times in 15 home meetings.
Incessant rain and a strong wind blowing into the Bohermore end made conditions awful for both sides and the former Chiefs coach Dave Rennie and his assistant Keane could hardly have encountered worse weather for the battle between their new sides.
The footage of Peter Horne’s tenth minute penalty from only about 15 metres out failing to reach the posts will undoubtedly get plenty of views on a miserable evening at the Sportsground.
The crowd of 4,017 who squeezed into the stands for cover inevitably saw plenty of stoppages as both sides struggled to handle the ball in the conditions.
Jack Carty gave Connacht an early lead with a penalty after some good surges, but Horne cancelled that with his second kick of the night into the teeth of the elements.
It took some good defending from Glasgow to prevent a string of surges from Ultan Dillane, Denis Buckley and Tom McCartney but when they conceded a penalty, Carty made it 6-3 after 19 minutes.
They took a 9-3 lead into the break when Carty landed his third kick just before the interval after good pressure forced a turnover as Glasgow tried to work the ball from deep into the elements.
It took Glasgow less than 10 minutes to wipe out the lead and hit the front with Horne landing a penalty before a good move off the back of a scrum saw Horne put his half-back partner Ali Price through for a converted try to lead 13-9 after 49 minutes.
But Connacht were given hope when Carty did well to convert a penalty from 25 metres out into the strong wind and cut the gap to the minimum going into the final quarter.
Another knock-on, this time by the other winger Matt Healy, again proved costly as from the scrum Price’s crossfield chip was collected by Leo Sarto on the left touchline before sending Lee Jones over in the corner to make it 18-12 after 72 minutes.
There was no way back for Connacht after that.
Connacht scorers:Penalties: Jack Carty [4 from 4]
Glasgow scorers:
Tries: Ali Price, Lee Jones
Penalties: Peter Horne [2 from 3]
Conversions: Peter Horne [1 from 2]
CONNACHT: Darragh Leader; Cian Kelleher, Eoin Griffin (Tom Farrell ’50), Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty (Craig Ronaldson ’71), Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham (Conor Carey ’56); Ultan Dillane, James Cannon; Eoghan Masterson (Sean O’Brien ’50), Jarrad Butler, John Muldoon.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Ruaridh Jackson; Lelia Masaga, Alex Dunbar, Sam Johnson (Adam Hastings ’8) (Leonardo Sarto ’58), Lee Jones; Peter Horne, Ali Price (Henry Pyrgos ’73); Jamie Bhatti (Oli Kebble ’38-40) (Kebble ’46), George Turner(James Malcolm ’73), Zander Fagerson; Tim Swinson (Greg Peterson ’73), Scott Cummings; Ryan Wilson, Matt Smith (Matt Fagerson ’61), Adam Ashe.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU).
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