Guinness PRO12: Connacht survive late Ospreys scare
Last Updated: 27/02/16 10:47pm
Sam Davies' disallowed try was the big talking point after Connacht's hard-fought 30-22 PRO12 win over the Ospreys.
The Ospreys were left seething at the Sportsground after their fly-half's 63rd-minute effort was ruled out by the match officials for a double movement. Although replays showed that tackler Kieran Marmion may have lost his grip on Davies, referee George Clancy and TMO Jude Quinn disallowed the try.
The score would have levelled the tense game 27-27, setting up a big finish. As it was Connacht always looked likely to bounce back, and a final penalty from Craig Ronaldson put them out of the visitors' reach.
A fast-paced and hugely entertaining first half delivered four tries, with man of the match Bundee Aki and AJ MacGinty making it 14-3 before the Ospreys hit back through Ben John and Dan Baker.
A Ronaldson penalty then saw Osprey take a 17-15 half-time lead, and the tries kept coming through Matt Healy and the fit-again Rhys Webb.
The Guinness PRO12 leaders managed to keep their noses in front, and two more place-kicks from Ronaldson coupled with some tigerish defending saw them take a step closer to the play-offs and Champions Cup qualification.
The hosts missed the influence of captain John Muldoon, who was withdrawn before kick-off with a tight hamstring.
The game started in typically exciting fashion as Connacht were quickly into their stride off a scrum in the Ospreys 22. Healy stepped off his right and offloaded out of a tackle for Aki to finish next to the posts.
Ronaldson's conversion was followed by an immediate response from Davies, who punished George Naoupu for holding on.
But Connacht's second try soon followed, with Jake Heenan making the initial incision off a line-out on the 22 metre line. Quick ball saw Niyi Adeolokun gain further ground before popping a pass for MacGinty to finish the move off.
The margin was cut to six points soon after, as Davies tapped a quick penalty and looped a pass out for John to get over in the left corner past Adeolokun.
The lead changed hands again when No 8 Baker showed great strength to barge over from a five-metre ruck, but Davies' conversion was cancelled out by Ronaldson's 28th-minute penalty.
Into the second period, the Ospreys weathered an early storm before Healy struck. From Ronaldson's inside pass, the winger spun out of the tackle and hared for the line from 30 metres out.
Within four minutes, Wales scrum half Webb dived over on the end of a move sparked by his half-back partner whose conversion restored the two-point margin.
The intensity ratcheted up again as Ronaldson answered back with two nerve-settling penalties after 58 and 67 minutes. In between, Davies' delightful dart for the right corner was chalked off and Webb was then a pass away from creating a try in the opposite corner.
But Pat Lam's clever use of the bench saw Connacht maintain a high intensity, and a final ruck turnover by young flanker Sean O'Brien sealed what could prove to be a huge result come the end of the regular season.
