CONNACHT WERE FORCED to dig deep but did enough to make it five wins in a row when Ulster-bound scrumhalf Matthew Devine came off the bench to score the winning try six minutes from time.
It keeps Connacht’s hopes of making the knockout stages alive but the failure to get maximum points could prove costly.
That said, Ospreys made them battle all the way and would not have been flattered with victory themselves.
The sides were deadlocked at 7-7 at the break after Connacht, playing against the strong wind, had to deal with enormous pressure in front of a crowd of 7,943.
They got a break just before the interval when a try from captain Jac Morgan was scratched after a pass from out-half Dan Edwards, who had made a superb break from deep, was adjudged on review to have been forward.
That came after Connacht sustained huge pressure after conceding a string of penalties inside their 22 which did not incur a card from Italian referee Federico Vedovelli.
Connacht's Darragh Murray. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The Connacht defence was good and after hooker Dave Heffernan stopped centre Evardi Boshoff short of the line, winger Shane Jennings got hands on the ball and won the relieving penalty.
Connacht had laid down an early marker with some good possession rugby into the breeze and they were rewarded after eleven minutes when Shamus Hurley-Langton crowned his first match in three months from injury with a try from close range after Josh Murphy had won a lineout in the right corner.
Fullback Sean Naughton converted but then had to switch to the left wing when Finn Treacy, a double try-scorer in the win away to Ulster last week, went off injured with Jack Carty coming in at out-half and Josh Ioane switching to 15.
The Ospreys deservedly got back on level terms after 23 minutes when winger Dan Kasende, who had started the move with a break down the right, squeezed over after several forays following a tapped penalty but they were unable to hit the front from sustained pressure in the second quarter.
Connacht wasted little time in getting on top after the restart and Hurley-Langton bulldozed for his second try after they opted for a scrum from a penalty in front of the posts and then went wide a couple of phases later. Naughton added a fine conversion from the left to make it 14-7 after 46 minutes.
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Connacht's Josh Ioane with Dan Kasende of Ospreys. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
Connacht lost lock Darragh Murray to a yellow card for coming in from the side and while they survived the initial foray, they paid a heavy price when a punt from the 22 from Carty carried all the way over the deadball line.
Ospreys got a penalty advantage from the scrum but didn’t need it as they played the ball through the hands to send Luke Morgan in from the right and he managed to get near enough the posts for Edwards to drill the conversion into the wind and level the match at 14-14 after 56 minutes.
Connacht had plenty of possession while Ospreys defended well, but then it all changed eight minutes from time. Devine tapped and went from a penalty inside halfway and captain Morgan couldn’t resist tackling him, ending his afternoon with a yellow card.
Naughton went for the posts from 40 metres but the wind pulled it left and wide.
But from the restart Naughton broke in midfield and had Devine on his shoulder to race in and score the winner under the posts.
There was still time to get the try bonus point but Ospreys held out for a deserved losing bonus point.
OSPREYS: Jack Walsh; Dan Kasende, Evardi Boshoff (Max Nagy, 51), Keiran Williams, Luke Morgan; Dan Edwards, Luke Davies (Harri Williams, 79); Steffan Thomas (Garyn Phillips, 53), Sam Parry (Efan Daniel, 66), Rhys Henry (Ben Warren, 53); Rhys Davies (Ryan Smith, 53), Huw Sutton; James Ratti (James Fender, 73), Jac Morgan (capt), Morgan Morse (Morgan Morris, 51).
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In-form Connacht beat Ospreys to record fifth straight win
Connacht 21
Ospreys 14
John Fallon reports from Dexcom Stadium
CONNACHT WERE FORCED to dig deep but did enough to make it five wins in a row when Ulster-bound scrumhalf Matthew Devine came off the bench to score the winning try six minutes from time.
It keeps Connacht’s hopes of making the knockout stages alive but the failure to get maximum points could prove costly.
That said, Ospreys made them battle all the way and would not have been flattered with victory themselves.
The sides were deadlocked at 7-7 at the break after Connacht, playing against the strong wind, had to deal with enormous pressure in front of a crowd of 7,943.
They got a break just before the interval when a try from captain Jac Morgan was scratched after a pass from out-half Dan Edwards, who had made a superb break from deep, was adjudged on review to have been forward.
That came after Connacht sustained huge pressure after conceding a string of penalties inside their 22 which did not incur a card from Italian referee Federico Vedovelli.
The Connacht defence was good and after hooker Dave Heffernan stopped centre Evardi Boshoff short of the line, winger Shane Jennings got hands on the ball and won the relieving penalty.
Connacht had laid down an early marker with some good possession rugby into the breeze and they were rewarded after eleven minutes when Shamus Hurley-Langton crowned his first match in three months from injury with a try from close range after Josh Murphy had won a lineout in the right corner.
Fullback Sean Naughton converted but then had to switch to the left wing when Finn Treacy, a double try-scorer in the win away to Ulster last week, went off injured with Jack Carty coming in at out-half and Josh Ioane switching to 15.
The Ospreys deservedly got back on level terms after 23 minutes when winger Dan Kasende, who had started the move with a break down the right, squeezed over after several forays following a tapped penalty but they were unable to hit the front from sustained pressure in the second quarter.
Connacht wasted little time in getting on top after the restart and Hurley-Langton bulldozed for his second try after they opted for a scrum from a penalty in front of the posts and then went wide a couple of phases later. Naughton added a fine conversion from the left to make it 14-7 after 46 minutes.
Connacht lost lock Darragh Murray to a yellow card for coming in from the side and while they survived the initial foray, they paid a heavy price when a punt from the 22 from Carty carried all the way over the deadball line.
Ospreys got a penalty advantage from the scrum but didn’t need it as they played the ball through the hands to send Luke Morgan in from the right and he managed to get near enough the posts for Edwards to drill the conversion into the wind and level the match at 14-14 after 56 minutes.
Connacht had plenty of possession while Ospreys defended well, but then it all changed eight minutes from time. Devine tapped and went from a penalty inside halfway and captain Morgan couldn’t resist tackling him, ending his afternoon with a yellow card.
Naughton went for the posts from 40 metres but the wind pulled it left and wide.
But from the restart Naughton broke in midfield and had Devine on his shoulder to race in and score the winner under the posts.
There was still time to get the try bonus point but Ospreys held out for a deserved losing bonus point.
Connacht scorers:
Tries – Hurley-Langton [2], Devine
Conversions: Naughton [3/3]
Ospreys scorers:
Tries – Kasende, Morgan
Conversions: Edwards [2/2]
CONNACHT: Sean Naughton; Shane Jennings, Cathal Forde (Ben Murphy, 68), Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy (Jack Carty, 17); Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy (Matthew Devine, 63); Denis Buckley (Billy Bohan, 52), Dave Heffernan (Matthew Victory, 66), Finlay Bealham (Sam Illo, 52); Niall Murray (David O’Connor, 59), Darragh Murray; Josh Murphy (Sean O’Brien, 59), Shamus Hurley-Langton (Oisin McCormack, 69), Paul Boyle (capt).
OSPREYS: Jack Walsh; Dan Kasende, Evardi Boshoff (Max Nagy, 51), Keiran Williams, Luke Morgan; Dan Edwards, Luke Davies (Harri Williams, 79); Steffan Thomas (Garyn Phillips, 53), Sam Parry (Efan Daniel, 66), Rhys Henry (Ben Warren, 53); Rhys Davies (Ryan Smith, 53), Huw Sutton; James Ratti (James Fender, 73), Jac Morgan (capt), Morgan Morse (Morgan Morris, 51).
Referee: Federico Vedovelli [FIR]
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Connacht Rugby Ospreys URC Winning run