Benetton 39

Connacht 24

CONNACHT’S HOPES OF advancing to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup for the first time in 14 years went up in smoke in northern Italy when they were ousted by a Benetton side who pipped them at the death two weeks ago in the league.

The victory was much more decisive this time for the Treviso side as they made the most of some atrocious Connacht errors to advance to a last four meeting with Gloucester.

Connacht will now turn their attentions to trying to rescue a knockout place in the URC when the other Italian side Zebre come to Galway next Saturday, but they did themselves no favours at Stadio Monigo and despite scoring four tries they were chasing the game after failing to build on a bright opening.

Connacht got a lifeline just before the end of an opening half that dragged on for 52 minutes when No.8 Paul Boyle drove over after they worked the ball infield from a lineout, with JJ Hanrahan’s conversion reducing the interval deficit to 26-14 after an opening half where they gifted Benetton two of their four tries.

Moments before he scored Boyle was the guilty party as a try from hooker Dave Heffernan was scratched after he joined the maul ahead of the ball carrier but with loosehead Thomas Gallo pinged after getting involved in scuffle with the Connacht hooker on the restart, the visitors were given a platform to get back in the game and they took it.

That sort of efficiency was in stark contrast to what preceded it. They did make a bright start when Heffernan scored after just two minutes after Hanrahan had found a good touch in the right corner from a penalty from deep, before landing the touchline conversion for 7-0.

But Benetton hit back after Darragh Murray was binned for a head-on-head tackle on winger Ignacio Mendy who had to be replaced by Jacob Umaga. They went to the corner with the penalty and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi scored after a lineout take from Federic Ruzza, with Tomas Albornoz converting from the right wing after seven minutes.

They hit the front from the Six Nations Player of the Tournament Tommaso Menoncello finished after good work by Ruzza, with the impressive Benetton lock injured in the move and forced off.

Albornoz missed the conversion and Umaga missed a penalty but Connacht failed to make the most of these let-offs and instead gifted Benetton a try when scrum-half Caolin Blade tried to palm a high kick back to full-back Tiernan O’Halloran but the ball went loose and home full-back Rhyno Smith made the most of the mistake to race from deep, gain possession and canter home for a converted try to lead 19-7 at the end of the opening quarter.

It got worse for Connacht seven minutes later when Heffernan allowed a clearance from Albornoz to bounce and the Argentine out-half followed his own kick to seize possession and run in for a try which Umaga converted for 26-7.

Boyle’s try before the break cut the gap to 12 but with Benetton getting on top in a scrappy start to the second half, they extended the lead to 29-14 when Umaga landed a penalty from 35 metres after moments earlier missing one from a similar position.

But Connacht got back in contention when Bundee Aki scored in the left corner after taking a good flat pass from a Blade tapped penalty.

Umaga extended the Benetton lead with a penalty to take a 32-19 lead into the final quarter and they sealed the win when Albornoz chipped and chased after a turnover in midfield to race through for his second try, with Umaga’s conversion putting 20 points between them.

The introduction of scrum-half Matthew Devine, who signed his first pro contract this week, added zip to Connacht in the closing stages and his break ended with Conor Oliver scoring in the right corner 12 minutes from time, but that was as close as they got as Benetton now head to Gloucester for a Challenge Cup semi-final.

Scorers:

• Benetton: Tries: Albornoz (2), Lucchesi, Menoncello, Smith. Cons: Albornoz (2 from 3), Umaga (2 from 2). Pens: Umaga (2 from 4).

• Connacht: Tries: Heffernan, Boyle, Aki, Oliver. Con: Hanrahan (2 from 4).

Benetton

Rhyno Smith; Ignacio Mendy (Jacob Umaga ‘5), Tommaso Menoncello, Nacho Brex, Onisi Ratave; Tomas Albornoz, Alessandro Garbisi (Andy Uren ’75); Thomas Gallo (Mirco Spagnola ’46), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Bautisa Bernasconi ’59), Simone Ferrari (Giosue Zilocchi ’46); Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza (Eli Snyman ’14); Sebastian Negri (Riccardo Favretto ’76), Michele Lamarao (c), Toa Halafihi (Lorenzo Cannone ’46).

Connacht

Tiernan O’Halloran (Tom Farrell ’53); Andrew Smith, David Hawkshaw (Cathal Forde ’63), Bundee Aki, Shane Jennings; JJ Hanrahan, Caolin Blade (Matthew Devine ’59); Denis Buckley (Peter Dooley ’47), Dave Heffernan (Eoin de Buitlear ’46-‘60), Finlay Bealham (Sam Illo ’47); Joe Joyce (Niall Murray ’53), Darragh Murray; Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle (Conor Oliver ’47).

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).