IT WAS THE biggest fixture of the season so far as Connacht looked to continue their impressive start to the campaign at home against interprovincial rivals Leinster.
Pat Lam’s squad were enjoying plenty of good will after two wins from two in the Pro12 coming into this clash, but this evening was always likely to be an altogether different test against a strong Leinster selection.
Matt O’Connor’s men had free rein against a weak Scarlets side last time out and looked to carry their attacking momentum to Galway.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the match. E-mail muray@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
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Good evening and welcome along to our liveblog of this evening’s exciting clash at the Sportsground. Two late team changes to inform you of – Danie Poolman is out through illness for Connacht, meaning Matt Healy starts and Fionn Carr is on the bench.
For Leinster, Isaac Boss drops out, with Eoin Reddan taking his place and Luke McGrath joining the replacements.
CONNACHT: Darragh Leader, Niyi Adeolokun, Robbie Henshaw, Dave McSharry, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Nathan White; Aly Muldowney, Quinn Roux; John Muldoon (capt.), Willie Faloon, Eoin McKeon.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Ronan Loughney, Rodney Ah You, Mick Kearney, George Naoupu, Ian Porter, Craig Ronaldson, Fionn Carr.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Brendan Macken, Ian Madigan, Darragh Fanning; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy; Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Jamie Heaslip (capt.).
Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Cian Healy, Tadhg Furlong, Tom Denton, Shane Jennings, Luke McGrath, Gordon D’Arcy, Mick McGrath.
Dark skies over the Sportsground this evening, with a little drizzle in the air. Not looking like being ideal conditions for an open game, but let’s hope the heavy rain holds off. John Lacey of the IRFU is our referee.
Dark skies over the Sportsground this evening, with a little drizzle in the air. Not looking like being ideal conditions for an open game, but let’s hope the heavy rain holds off. John Lacey of the IRFU is our referee.
Time to get your predictions in for this encounter. Can Connacht continue their winning ways? Or will they come up short against what is a strong Leinster squad? How do you see this one going?
TheScore.ie reader Cian O’Donoghue is first in with a prediction for tonight’s action:
Connacht to be leading with 15 mins left. Find themselves on the wrong end of dubious refereeing decisions. Lose narrowly. Heard it here first!
Leinster forwards coach Leo Cullen and scrum coach Marco Caputo watch their side warming up.
Looking for pre-match build-up? We’ve got you covered. Here’s what Connacht and Leinster have been saying this week:
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Powerful Leinster team to provide firm test of Connacht’s progress
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Marmion happy to lead Connacht’s young backline after first Ireland caps
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Lam’s infectious energy setting the tone for reinvigorated Connacht
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Heaslip eager to put his unique stamp on Leinster captaincy
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McSharry: We won two games but didn’t play well enough to win either
The Connacht fans are up for this one! Almost a full house with around 15 minutes until kick-off in Galway.
Meanwhile, over in Thomond Park it looks like a poor turnout for Munster’s clash with Zebre.
Jamie Heaslip is Leinster captain again this evening, of course. Earlier this week, he spoke about his unique style and some of the men he has been led by in the past.
The wonderfully-named Francis J. Underwood, a reader of TheScore.ie, is feeling confident for the visiting team:
Leinster to win by 15…COYBIB!
Leinster arrive onto the pitch to warm applause from the Clan Terrace. And here come Connacht to a deafening welcome!
1 minute - And Leinster get us underway!
1 minute - An early error from Darragh Leader, who knocks-on a low Gopperth kick. Scrum to Leinster now just on the Connacht 22, middle of the pitch. Great early chance to attack…
2 minutes - Leinster use the scrum to win a penalty, getting a nudge on and then Denis Buckley went to deck. This is straight in front.
PENALTY! Connacht 0-3 Leinster (Madigan ’3)
4 minutes - Connacht’s first attack of the game, sparked by Leader on the counter-attack, wins them a penalty. Carty is going to take over the kicking duties here, 37 metres out but straight in front. Rhys Ruddock pinged that time…
5 minutes - But the Connacht out-half has pulled that to the left and wide. Poor strike.
7 minutes - Wild passage of play as Rob Kearney is smashed by Faloon and Muldoon, conceding a turnover at the subsequent rugby. Then Dave Heffernan’s risky pass is almost picked off by Fergus McFadden. Both teams still very much finding their feet.
8 minutes - Another scrum penalty for Leinster, as Connacht go backwards again. Looks like trouble there for the home side. Madigan will have a shot from 40 metres out, to the right of the posts. Connacht need to fix that scrum asap.
10 minutes - No good from Madigan, who pulls his penalty to the left of the uprights, much like Carty did. Still 3-0 to Leinster.
11 minutes - Penalty to Leinster again after a sustained passage of attack. Faloon was caught offside and Lacey comes back after a Leinster knock-on. Nice carry from Ruddock there, running right over the top of Buckley.
Madigan will kick for goal again, 42 metres this time, slightly to the left of the posts.
PENALTY! Connacht 0-6 Leinster (Madigan ’12)
14 minutes - A team warning for Connacht from ref John Lacey already, after their latest penalty concession. The home side had decent possession on that occasion, but Carty lofted a cross-field punt directly into Kearney’s hands.
15 minutes - Yet another penalty to Leinster. John Muldoon pinged that time it seems, around the breakdown. This discipline needs to be sorted. Leinster getting really quick rucks and putting Pat Lam’s men on the back foot. Passive defence is following.
Here’s Madigan again from close-range…
PENALTY! Connacht 0-9 Leinster (Madigan ’16)
18 minutes - A quick breather here as Lacey again talks to Muldoon. Leinster more than happy to take those shots at goal from anywhere inside the Connacht half. Their attack has looked really threatening again this week so far, all down to that quick ruck ball. Heaslip excelling again early on.
20 minutes - Connacht finally get their attacking game ticking, with a few offloads from Henshaw and others. Carty beginning to vary the game, dinking kicks in behind and then passing to wider channels. It leads to a penalty after Toner comes offside.
Carty to kick…
PENALTY! Connacht 3-9 Leinster (Carty ’22)
22 minutes - Carty nails that one, very encouraging. Struck it from 40 metres out and sailed through the middle. Connacht noticeably lifted now.
24 minutes - Big ball and all hit from Muldoon on McCarthy forces a knock-on and then Leinster are penalised for offside as they scoop up the loose ball. Connacht are into this game now, far better from the home side.
Then they cough up a line-out at the tail…
YELLOW CARD! John Muldoon ’25
The Connacht captain is in the bin after the latest infringement. Looked like he was offside around the fringes. Lacey has no hesitation. Gopperth kicks into touch down the left-hand side. Unfortunately, that was coming for Connacht given the amount of times they’ve been pinged so far.
27 minutes - Dave McSharry heads into the scrum to lend his weight in Muldoon’s absence. Good platform for Leinster here, on the Connacht 22 out on the left…
28 minutes - We’re off to the TMO for a potential Madigan try…
NO TRY! Lacey and his TMO decide the pass from Reddan to Madigan was forward. Simple play from Leinster, 9 to 12 and the Ireland international went through Carty’s tackle. But play comes back for a Connacht scrum!
30 minutes - Carty kicks directly into touch to end a promising Connacht passage of attack from inside their own half. All started with Henshaw picking up a Madigan knock-on in contact, before Connacht shifted the ball left. Leinster back in possession now and looking dangerous against 14…
32 minutes - Excellent read and tackle from Adeolokun! He hits Sean Cronin ball and all to force the hooker into a forward pass. Superb chance for a try for Leinster, but the young Connacht wing shut that down really well. He’s staying down after that hit.
Rhys Ruddock has had a couple of strong carries on his return.
32 minutes - Willie Fallon goes off injured, that’s a blow for Connacht.
George Naoupu replaces Faloon in the back row.
34 minutes - That’s poor from Carty who misses touch with a penalty for Connacht after Mike Ross was pinged for his counter-rucking attempts. Kicking tennis ensues and Leinster end up with a scrum on the Connacht 10-metre line. That could be costly, Connacht need that territory.
35 minutes - HUUUUGE hit by Henshaw on Gopperth! Massive! Forces a knock-on. Wonderful stuff.
37 minutes - Sublime counter-attack from Leinster though, as Madigan released Macken with a gorgeous pass and the 13 strides all the way to Connacht’s 22. Major pressure here…
38 minutes - The ball is trapped in a ruck just a metres form the Connacht tryline and Lacey calls a scrum for Leinster. That looked almost certain to be a try after Macken’s big linebreak. Can Connacht hold out here?
38 minutes – Lacey went to the TMO that time, but no evidence of a score. Scrum to Leinster.
39 minutes - Two re-sets of the scrum already in this sequence, with a drizzle falling in Galway.
40 minutes - Huge scrum penalty for Connacht! Leinster pinged for use of the hands that time! Great effort from the home side.
HALF TIME! Connacht 3-9 Leinster!
So what were your thoughts on that 40 minutes?
Brian O’Connor is pretty happy with this game so far.
Great contest and good to watch, that’s what Rugby is all about.
Here’s a great shot of that magnificent Henshaw hit on Gopperth.
The teams are back on the pitch and Carty is about to get us back underway…
41 minutes - Darragh Leader knocks-on in the air after Leinster clear from their 22. The ball travels into touch and Leinster opt for the line-out.
41 minutes - Another replacement for Connacht. That was a half-time change.
Fionn Carr is on for Niyi Adeolokun.
44 minutes - Connacht win a penalty as Dominic Ryan didn’t roll away after a hit on Naoupu.
45 minutes - Darragh Leader had a shot at goal from inside his own half on that occasion, but it falls wide to the right of the sticks. Ambitious, but he has got a huge boot.
Change for Leinster:
Cian Healy is on for Jack McGrath.
48 minutes - Penalty against Connacht for coming in the side of the ruck – that was a tough call on the home team. Kearney misses touch! Karma comes calling, and Gopperth is forced to clear into touch after a probing Connacht kick.
50 minutes - Another breakdown penalty for Leinster, this time Heaslip wins it superbly. The Leinster captain has been superb again this evening, he’s so busy and making big plays every time he’s near the ball.
52 minutes - Big turnover from Denis Buckley after the Leinster maul rumbled forward ominously. Slightly broken up organisation from the visitors and Buckley snaps over the ball. Leader clears to touch from the penalty and Connacht go on the attack…
54 minutes - This Connacht defence is superb. After being turned over, they battled back into shape on D, with Muldoon again producing a big tackle. The Connacht captain has been typically excellent in contact. Connacht win another turnover penalty and kick into the Leinster half.
TRY! Connacht 8-9 Leinster (Marmion ’55)
That is sensational!
55 minutes - Brilliant solo try from Marmion, who sniped through a hole on the left-hand fringe of a ruck 40 metres out and stepped around fullback Kearney!
CONVERSION! Connacht 10-9 Leinster (Carty ’56)
57 minutes - No replays of that score here at the Sportsground, but it was a wonderful effort from the twice-capped Ireland international. Carty held his nerve with the conversion and Connacht lead!
58 minutes - Change for Leinster, and an interesting new midfield shape:
Gordon D’Arcy is on for Brendan Macken at outside centre.
61 minutes - Connacht massively buoyed by that score, as are the home crowd. There’s another Marmion break!
65 minutes - Lots of changes here:
Tadhg Furlong on for Mike Ross and Shane Jennings replaces Dominic Ryan. For Connacht, Nathan White leaves the pitch for Rodney Ah You.
66 minutes - Penalty to Leinster as Fanning poaches at the breakdown, with Fionn Carr done for holding on. The visitors kick into touch on the Connacht 22. Big moments here…
67 minutes - Connacht turn it over and again kick clear!
68 minutes - Very close for Leinster. Kearney kicked off a counter-attack, Reddan chipped beyond Leader and then Leinster’s fullback won the race to the pill. Unfortunately for Leinster, Kearney’s nudge went straight into touch.
70 minutes - The hits are still flying in as Leinster attack, before Lacey pings them for crossing in midfield and the latest wave of pressure ends.
Craig Ronaldson is on for Darragh Leader. Ian Porter replaces Kieran Marmion. And for Leinster, Tom Denton is on for the injured Jennings.
73 minutes - Line-out for Connacht and they are in possession of the ball. Ronaldson hoists a garryowen to the right it ping-pongs into touch.
75 minutes - Field of Athenry is booming out of the Clan Terrace as Connacht win another penalty! Leinster in the side of a maul as they look for a choke tackle. Ronaldson opts to kick into the Leinster 22 down the right!
76 minutes - But Connacht cough up the pill at the line-out yet again!
Luke McGrath is on for Eoin Reddan at scrum-half for Leinster.
77 minutes - Great kick from Craig Ronaldson! He sweeps a lovely dink in behind the Leinster defence and bouncing into touch. Leinster forced to kick out of their 22 from the line-out.
78 minutes - Penalty to Leinster and they tap and go from inside their own half. This is tense!
78 minutes – McGrath makes a break for Leinster! Into Connacht’s half now, 35 metres out!
79 minutes - Knock-on Luke McGrath!! At the base of the ruck and Connacht survive. Still 30 second left on the clock for this scrum! Jimmy Gopperth set up for the drop goal, but Connacht were all over him!
FULL TIME! Connacht 10-9 Leinster!!!
Scenes at the Sportsground! That is magnificent for Pat Lam and his squad.
That’s all we have time for this evening on the liveblog. Stay tuned for reaction from the coaches. Thanks for joining us!
