More gloom for Keane’s charges as Edinburgh steal points

Connacht 22

Edinburgh 29

IF possession is nine tenths of the law, Connacht are a prime example of why fine margins can often be where the winning and losing is decided. Here was another game where almost everything went right for the men from the west – they owned the ball, camped out in Edinburgh territory and offered more attacking creativity and guile in every imaginable way, yet still came out on the wrong end of the scoreline.

A week out from the biggest game of the season – a game that might prove to be the defining point of a stuttering campaign – Kieran Keane’s men offered so much that could be banked in the positive department. The positives included resilience, accuracy at set piece time and some hair raising attack play which allowed them to overturn an eight point deficit and lead by as much as six before crumbling in the closing minutes.

Edinburgh’s victory can be defined by two vital moments, the first came from the opening kick off where John Hardie was up as quick as lightning and blocked down a telegraphed Tiernan O’Halloran clearance with Dougie Fife winning the race to touchdown and score the fastest ever try in PRO14 rugby. That was just ten seconds into the game.

The second came with seven minutes remaining and Connacht seemingly in control, leading by three. Craig Ronaldson’s ill advised, or poorly executed, kick down field was blocked by Duncan Weir and the replacement fly half burst clear with no one at home for Connacht, hacking ahead and diving on the ball over the line just to the right of the posts. The conversion made it a four point game and his late penalty on full time merely copperfastened the win.

In between all that, Connacht were by some distance the better team, despite formlines which showed Edinburgh as one of the competition’s top contenders, comfortably in the play off places in Conference B and in far better form all round. Connacht’s tries had been brilliantly taken in the first half and even when they were a little off that kind of pace in the second half, they had come up with a vital third try on the hour mark to seemingly set them on their way to victory.

Edinburgh’s match stats were eye catching considering the final result. Their 207 metres gained with ball in hand (compared with 369 from Connacht) was the lowest managed by any team against Connacht this season in the competition, they had a mere 40% of possession and 39% territory for good measure and yet still managed three tries and a win.

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