Connacht ... 30 Pontypridd ... 35Traditionally the IRFU have remained bullet proof from public criticism. Remember Warren Gatland? But Gatland's summary dismissal as Irish team coach never brought supporters on to the pitch and when the four placard-waving demonstrators took to the hard Ericsson Park pitch on a bitterly cold night in Athlone on Saturday evening, the IRFU may well have agreed that they'll have to dig in deep for this confrontation.
Top Heavy IRFU. To hell with Connacht IRFU. Connacht Rugby RIP ran the wording on the banners of the protesters. Cheered all around the perimeter of the pitch by the three- to four-deep crowd, it was a night for elemental partisanship.
Passions ran high and a record crowd of over 4,000 turned up to fan the flames in this Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter final.
The IRFU's still unclear agenda regarding Connacht's future as a professional entity was overwhelmingly regarded as having been undertaken by sleight of hand.
Pontypridd arrived also labouring under the weight of the new professionalism and a country that cannot now afford to support a broad-based club system. Ponty, it seems are destined to become one with Cardiff, a move the fiercely independent mining town club is fighting. Connacht are not the only team facing a difficult and uncertain future.
Outhalf Eric Elwood, one of the senior figures in the Connacht team, sought to side step the political issue of the week but suggested that the pressure, some of it generated by the media, was maybe filtering down to the team.
"I don't want to go down the political route. It has nothing to do with me. I don't deal with the IRFU figures. I'm not an accountant either. I just try to do the best I can on the field," he said.
"But you know, I get really angry when people talk about Connacht having a point to prove because of the IRFU. If we have to take to the park eveytime to prove a point, that's no good for the players.
"That's no good for this young team. We've improved and improved every time over the last three years. You cannot ask any more from the lads that are on this team. The sooner this is put to bed the better."
As for the contest, Connacht, winning aside, could not have put on a more vitalising display, one that may ensure that a substantial portion of the crowd will return if they are given the chance. Four tries from each side, all after eyecatching runs, from Colm Rigney's sprinting break and demolition of full back Brett Davey to one of the most majestic tries seen this season from international winger Gareth Wyatt.
Running into a dead end on the left wing and at the 22 Wyatt cut infield in a straight line, flirting all the way with the groping hands of the Connacht defence. On reaching the middle of the pitch, the light-footed runner sharply cut in, slicing through the heart of Connacht to take Pontypridd to 20-35 with 15 minutes remaining.
The Wyatt try illustrated the province's downfall. Too often Connacht handed back hard- earned ground with a lapse or a silly misdemeanor and with Neil Jenkins metronomically landing everything, Pontypridd ensured the home side were harshly punished each time.
In the end it was the world record kicker's accuracy, with three penalties and two conversions, that forced Connacht to chase the match in the last quarter.
That Wayne Munn twice spread-eagled the Ponty defence as Connacht sent wave after wave of attacks ripping into the opposition's 22 simply captivated the frozen congregation. In injury time Connacht may have been prepared for defeat but they were never about to capitulate.
And as the ground hardened so too could you see the wincing when players went to ground on contact. Heroic efforts from the Buccaneers club on keeping the surface covered over two days had allowed the match to proceed, but not without first passing two pitch inspections before the 5.30 p.m. start.
It was there on the offensive, and tails up, that Connacht finally fell short of their aim to travel to Wales with a first leg win in their pockets. The return leg in Sardis Road will be an exceptionally difficult task for the young side.
But it was clearly a significant improvement on the 40-0 drubbing Connacht received last time the teams met in the Celtic League, a defeat Elwood called "embarrassing."
"We're under no illusions," he said. "Ponty's a very, very tough place to go to. They're a quality side. They picked up a couple of injuries early doors but their squad is a very strong squad and at home they'll be very tough to beat."
SCORING SEQUENCE
2 mins E Elwood pen 3-0
18 mins E Lewis try, Davey con 3-7
22 mins N Jenkins pen 3-10
28 mins C Rigney try, Elwood con 10-10
29 mins Jenkins penalty 10-13
33 mins R Frost try, Elwood con 17-13
HALFTIME ... 17-13
46 mins S James try 17-18
54 mins Elwood penalty 20-18
57 mins Jenkins penalty 20-21
59 mins G Lewis try, Jenkins con 20-28
65 mins G Wyatt try, Jenkins con 20-35
71 mins W Munn try 25-35
79 mins W Munn try 30-35
CONNACHT: M McHugh; G Duffey, D Yapp, S Moore (capt.), W Munn; E Elwood, E reddan; R McCormack, J Flannery, P Bracken, D Browne, R Frost, M Swift, J O'Connor, C Rigney. Replacements: J Norton for Yapp 47 mins; D Mcfarland for Bracken 52 mins; M Uijs for Flannery 52 mins; E Peters for Swift 58 mins.
PONTYPRIDD: B Davey; G Wyatt, S Parker, J Bryant, E Lewis; C Sweeney, P John; G Jenkins, M Davies (capt.), D Bell, B Cockbain, R Sidoli, G Lewis, R Parks, M Owen. Replacements: N Jenkins for Parker 15 mins; S James for Bryant 18 mins.
Referee: T Spreadbury (England)
