Pipped to the peak of the Guinness PRO12 standings but a home semi-final secured and the promise of a first ever league title.
Glasgow Warriors coming to Galway for the last game of the regular season. Back in August, you would have expected a procession from the Scots.
Gregor Townsend’s men were reigning champions and Connacht had finished seventh. Top 6 was their target for this season.
They have surpassed and then some. And then some again.
This afternoon, at a rain-plagued Sportsground, they proved they have not run out of gas. Defeat against Treviso was a blip. Connacht are gunning for the Guinness PRO12 title.
The westerners defeated 14-man Glasgow 14-7 to finish second in the final league standings and ensure that they are back at home for their semi-final in a fortnight’s time.
Connacht lost Finlay Bealham after three minutes. They lost his replacement, Rodney Ah You, on 57 minutes. Five minutes later and Ronan Loughney went off with a head injury.
Three props gone and lads filling the gaps. Stepping unto the breach.
Connacht went to a well they’ve been beating a track to all year. The grass leading up to the well resembles the baseline of Wimbledon after two weeks of serve and volley.
Bundee Aki put the hosts ahead after a great break from AJ MacGinty. The Kiwi has been a revelation all season and so it proved again, from minute 1 to minute 73 [when Peter Robb stepped in].
Aki’s last significant action was an interception and hack up the pitch that turned defence into an attacking scrum on the Scots’ 5-metre line. Standard fare from the honorary ‘Connacht man’.
'Bundee is a Connacht man. You can truly say he’s a Connacht man' https://t.co/23SPUUEWDX
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 17, 2016
Warriors are no slouches, especially when their Scottish internationals are littering the XV. They answered back with a Gordon Reid try that Finn Russell converted. 7-7 and all to play for.
The turning point was the red card received by Warriors tight-head Sila Puafisi for a flying head that connected with Kieran Marmion’s jaw.
Connacht made the numbers count by sucking in Warriors with pick-and-goes before Shane O’Leary kicked cross-field. Fullback Tiernan O’Halloran, on his 100th Connacht appearance, caught it high and touched down.
All that drama and still 20 minutes to go.
What did Connacht do? Paid a visit to that well again.
Ulster beat Ospreys at The Liberty Stadium to win their fourth game in a row. They will face Leinster at the RDS in a fortnight while Connacht have to go up against Glasgow again. The bodies are sore and two mammoth games await.
Only Connacht could pull this one off.
