Connacht 19
Stormers 17
John Fallon reports from the Sportsground
CONNACHT CAME FROM 10 points down early in the second half against the wind to carved out a priceless win at the Sportsground to keep their URC hopes firmly on track.
Andy Friend’s men were forced to dig deep but a big impact from their bench saw them claw their way back in the first ever meeting between the sides to win for the second week in a row.
A swirling gale greeted the Stormers on their first visit to Galway and it made a lottery of the game for both sides as kicks went all over the place, lineouts were difficult and even short passes were skewed.
But the South Africans settled into the task, aided by a superb maul and quick defensive lines, and it meant every metre was hard earned for Connacht.
The Stormers’ rolling maul laid the foundation for the opening try after 19 minutes when they marched Connacht back 20 metres and a after a few recycles full-back Sergeal Petersen, a late replacement, got over on the right.
But Connacht got back into contention against a Stormers side who slowed down the game at every opportunity in an opening half against the wind which lasted over 48 minutes.
Connacht back on level terms ten minutes from the break and patiently built the phases which forced a couple of tapped penalties and they eventually squeezed over at the butt of the right post, with Conor Fitzgerald converting to lead 7-5.
However, they suffered a massive blow just before the break. Out-half Mani Libbok floated a Garryowen which Connacht didn’t deal with and Petersen raced up to trap it with a boot and the support quickly arrived for Springbok Damian Willemse to get over.
Libbok’s conversion from the 22 was on target but the ball hung in the galeforce wind and didn’t reach the posts as the Stormers went in leading by 10-7.
Disaster struck seven minutes after the restart for Connacht when a pass from hooker Shane Delahunt to scrum-half Kieran Marmion didn’t go to hand and out-half Mannie Libbok raced from inside his own half to score beside the posts and then adding the conversion to lead 17-7.
Cian Prendergast had a try scratched on review after a forward pass from Conor Oliver but Connacht got back in the game six minutes later with Petersen in the bin for a deliberate knock-on and Fitzgerald broke through before setting up Tom Daly for a converted try under the posts to cut the gap to 17-14 after 59 minutes.
Stormers centre Ruhan Nel was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card for a shoulder to head tackle on Fitzgerald but Connacht made the extra man count and Sullivan, back on for Fitzgerald who required a HIA, scored in the left corner after Daly and Alex Wootton created the overlap to edge 19-17 in front eight minutes from time and they never looked like losing the lead from there to end, much to the joy of the crowd of 3,404.
Connacht scorers: Tries: Paul Boyle, Tom Daly, Peter Sullivan. Conversions: Conor Fitzgerald (2 from 2), Tom Daly (0 from 1).
Stormers scorers: Tries: Sergeal Petersen, Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok. Cons: Libbok (1 from 2, D Willemse (0 from 1).
Connacht: John Porch; Peter Sullivan (Tom Farrell ‘66), Sammy Arnold, Tom Daly, Alex Wootton; Conor Fitzgerald (Sullivan ’68 HIA), Kieran Marmion (Caolin Blade ‘57); Denis Buckley (Jordan Duggan ‘50), Shane Delahunt (Jonny Murphy ‘72), Tietie Tuimauga (Jack Aungier ‘41); Niall Murray (Oisin Dowling ‘50), Leva Fifita; Cian Prendergast (Abraham Papali’I ‘58), Jarrad Butler (Conor Oliver ‘50), Paul Boyle.
DHL Stormers: Sergeal Petersen (Cornel Smit ’67); Angelo Davids, Ruhan Nel, Damian Willemse, Seabelo Senatla; Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies (Paul de Wet ‘68); Steven Kitshoff (Ali Vermaak ‘67), Scarra Ntubeni (Andre-Hugo Venter ‘79), Brok Harris (Neethling Fouche ‘67); Adre Smith (David Meihuizen ‘41), Marvin Orie; Deon Fourie (Junior Pokomela ‘41), Ernst van Rhyn (Hacjivah Dayimani ‘66), Evan Roos.
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland).
