Connacht just fail to inflict rare home PRO14 defeat on Leinster

CONNACHT frightened the lives out of high-flying Leinster at the RDS on Monday only to return West bitterly disappointed at not ending a 16-season quest for a first away victory in Dublin.

Camped in the Leinster 22 for over six minutes of additional time and going through 28 painstaking phases, Connacht had their hosts on the rack in what ultimately proved a vain pursuit of a match-winning try.

Somehow Leinster survived and, more incredibly, they did so without conceding a penalty as Connacht threw everything at them. Rival bodies piled into rucks; the commitment was savage; and surrender was not an option for either team.

By the end, most players were out on their feet and though Connacht had to be content with a bonus point, their overall performance was another big step forward on their earlier disjointed form in the PRO14.

Having beaten Ulster out the gate at the Sportsground in their previous league outing, Connacht arrived in Donnybrook in great heart, but they will rue not exploiting all the territory and possession they had in the opening quarter when wind-assisted.

Worse again, the visitors had fallen 11-3 behind by the half-hour mark after Max Deegan finished off an incisive Leinster attack. Ten minutes later, however, Connacht were back in the hunt when prop Finlay Bealham powered over from close range.

Ahead by 13-11 at the break, Connacht were forced to rally a second time after a relatively subdued Johnny Sexton kicked a penalty and impressive scrum half Luke McGrath squirmed over for a second Leinster try in the 60th minute.

Now trailing by eight points and facing the elements, the Connacht players would have been forgiven for feeling fatalistic about the outcome after their unstinting efforts so far but, if anything, they increased the intensity levels in setting up a grandstand finale.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.