RaboDirect Pro12: Connacht hold of Treviso
Connacht secured an 18-3 victory over Treviso in the RaboDirect Pro12 clash at Galway.
Last Updated: 03/11/12 8:21pm
Danie Poolman crowned his home debut with a try and Gavin Duffy also touched down for the Irish Province while fly-half Dan Parks kicked kicked two penalties and a conversion.
Tiernan O'Halloran, fresh from training with the Ireland squad, made an early incision and Parks pinged the opening penalty through the posts in the seventh minute.
The former Scotland international added a second penalty before showing great awareness to dink through a kick which led to the westerners' first try.
Robbie Henshaw led the chase onto Parks' well-weighted kick, toe-poking it on and the onrushing Poolman did well to score after some assistance from O'Halloran. Parks converted.
Treviso did improve in the second period and seemingly lifted their game after replacement Giulio Toniolatti saw yellow on the hour mark.
Alberto Di Bernardo raised their hopes of a late push for a losing bonus point as he slotted a 61st minute penalty.
He struck the post with a second penalty attempt, eight minutes from time, before Connacht produced a strong finish to settle the issue.
Parks watched a penalty kick fade away to the right, but replacement John Muldoon's determined run from the restart took him past two defenders and the ball was worked wide for Duffy to dive in at the corner.
Connacht closed out their third win of the league campaign, moving up to eighth place in the process, with a late try from fit-again captain Gavin Duffy.
