CHALLENGE CUP:Dax 12 Connacht 30 - CONNACHT HAVE posted victories at several venues scattered across the south of France and they added another last night with an emphatic win at Stade Maurice Boyau.

In the process they got their European Challenge Cup campaign off to the best possible start as they destroyed Dax with a superb second-half performance.

Connacht took control of the game in the second-half after trailing 12-7 at the break and in the end came close to a bonus point.

The superb kicking of outhalf Ian Keatley was again a key factor as Connacht notched up another magnificent win in France.

Keatley landed six from eight kicks as Michael Bradley's men rose to the challenge after the break. Indeed, Connacht were lucky not to be further adrift at the interval as Dax owned the ball in the opening half.

Yet it was Connacht who were first off the mark when skipper John Muldoon dived over after 15 minutes after Andrew Farley stole a lineout following a grubber kick by Frank Murphy .

Dax hit back and the pressure finally yielded scores as the French side played an expansive game which had the home crowd on their feet.

Superb scrumhalf Jean Baptiste Pezet put his fullback Laurent Diaz in for an unconverted try in the right corner after 19 minutes.

Dax captain Pierre Caillet, an 18-stone number eight, was causing plenty of trouble for the visitors and it was no surprise when they hit the front after 29 minutes when right-winger Bruno Hiriart broke through the Connacht cover to dive under the posts.

Maxime Petitjean added the conversion but he subsequently missed a penalty from the left on the 22 to leave the French 12-7 ahead at the break.

But it was all Connacht after the restart as they build the phases and played all the intelligent rugby. Keatley and scrumhalf Murphy controlled the game and the openings came as the Connacht pack got on top.

Gavin Duffy made the decisive break which put Johnny O'Connor through for a 55th-minute try which put Connacht 17-12 in front once Keatley had added the points after earlier landing a penalty.

Further daylight was put between the sides by Keatley with penalties after 65 and 68 minutes.

And a superb win was crowned in the closing stages when Ray Ofisa raced through for their third try.

Connacht went all out in the dying moments for a bonus point but in the end had to be content with an impressive 18-points victory.

That sets them up for a crucial tie with London Irish in Galway next Friday which will go a long way towards deciding the pool.

DAX:L Diaz; B Hiriart, L Marticorena, D Bell, P Albaladejo; M Petitjean, J Pezet; J Brugnaut, W Bonet, J Castex; C Guironnet, A Mazel; B Adrillon, V Deniau, P Caillet. Replacements:M Auzqui for Castex (34 mins), J Cros for Bastien (52 mins), J Jaen for Bonet (58 mins), F Argel for Marticorena, (58 mins), J Rouge for Pezet (64 mins), J Pendanx for Deniau (64 mins), M Auzqui for Brugnaut (76 mins).

Tries:Diaz, Hiriat  Cons:Petitjean

CONNACHT:F Carr; L Bibo, G Duffy, M Deane, J Hearty; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M Swift, A Farley; J Muldoon, J OConnor, C Rigney. Replacements:R Loughney for Wilkinson, (37 mins), A Browne for Swift (44 mins), R Ofisa for Rigney (44 mins), D Riordan for Deane (68 mins) J Merrigan for Cronin (68 mins).

Tries:Muldoon, O'Connor, Ofisa  Cons:Keatley (2) Pens:Keatley (3)

Referee:Andrew Small (England).