LV= Cup: London Irish make winning start against Sale Sharks despite Danny Cipriani display

Shane Geraghty and Conor Gaston: Celebrate for Exiles

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London Irish started their LV= Cup campaign with a 34-28 victory over fellow Aviva Premiership side Sale Sharks on Sunday.

Matt Garvey scored two tries for the Exiles to go along with one each for George Skivington and Shane Geraghty, while Ian Humphreys slotted two penalties and converted all four tries.

Dwayne Peel had started the scoring with a try for Sale after just five minutes, while Danny Cipriani also crossed for the Sharks and kicked two conversions and three penalties.

It was not enough for the visitors though, who did have the final word with a last minute consolation try for Charlie Amesbury.

Peel struck early for Sale, who had beaten Irish 21-9 at home in their previous match to record their first Premiership win of the season, as he gathered a floated cross field kick from Irish's Humphreys and burst back 70 metres for a try.

Irish opened their account with flanker Garvey's first try of the match as his strength took him through two tackles and over the line, with Humphreys adding the conversion.

Humphreys kicked Irish in front with an angled 45-metre penalty, however Cipriani's boot put Sale back in the lead after the Irish scrum was penalised three minutes before half-time.

And just 60 seconds later Cipriani finished off a fine move with a try in the corner, before kicking Sale further ahead with his third penalty four minutes into the second half, but Irish hit back with their second try seven minutes later.

Hooker Brian Blaney found Ojo, who manoeuvred round the outside before turning the ball back to Skivington to score his first try since joining the Exiles from Leicester in the summer, leaving Humphreys a simple conversion.

Irish went ahead with Garvey's second try after Humphreys fared better with another floater into the corner. This time he found his intended target and the flanker drove over. Humphreys converted from the touchline to put his side 24-21 ahead.

Irish finished with a flourish as Humphreys landed a 76th minute penalty before converting a late try from Geraghty, put into space by 19-year-old replacement hooker Gerard Ellis on his debut.

But Amesbury finished off the last move of the match and Cipriani converted to make sure Sale did not go home empty-handed.

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