Connacht exit with heads held high

Somehow Warren Gatland's presence to witness the end of Connacht's Celtic League hopes at the Sportsground on Saturday seemed fitting. Like the erstwhile Irish coach, afforded the warmest of receptions at half-time and submerged in well wishers after the game, the province had to swallow a bitter pill but could leave this campaign with their heads held high.

In many ways they had absolutely no right to be still standing at the finish, much less throwing punches in a thrilling climax to a cracking contest. Glasgow dominated the middle chunk of the game, their high-tempo, running game utilising the full width of the pitch and stretching Connacht to breaking point on countless occasions.

Connacht's mastery of the basics let them down in a big way. The talented Eoin Reddan and the experienced Eric Elwood, unusually, didn't give them the kind of tactical control they were looking for at half-back and their lineout became an increasing achilles heel - so much so that they could scarcely buy one as the second half wore on.

So, they coughed up seven of their throws; their halves had unsure, error-prone games and they were outscored by four tries to two. Yet there they were, giving a large home crowd, enlivened by the presence of a noisy band of Glasgow supporters, real hope of one of those last-ditch muggings they specialise in. They're as dogged as a dog with a bone.

"That was some game of rugby," said a proud and slightly emotional Steph Nel. "Today we showed we could attack. I don't consider Connacht the poor cousin of Irish rugby anymore. I think on our day we can take anybody on.

"In the first half I am probably to blame," confessed the Connacht coach. "I said kick the ball in behind them and against a team who wants to attack all the time I should have probably said 'take them on'."

After a bright start Connacht were forced onto the back foot as Glasgow revelled in fast and loose exchanges, looking particularly potent off broken play and quick tap penalties. Their wise scrumhalf, Andy Nicol, was a particular thorn in Connacht's side and in tandem with Tommy Hayes they moved the ball wide quickly and often.

Connacht missed a host of first-up tackles and their midfield was particularly porous as Andy Henderson and James McLaren cut through almost at will. Connacht actually did well to keep the first-half damage down to tries by McLaren (running onto Hayes' superb pass to break the tackles of Darren Yapp and Ted Robinson) and lock Jason White (who dummied inside Munn and crashed through Robinson and Duffy to score).

Elwood's immaculate kicking kept them in touch and on half time they cut loose brilliantly when Munn took an excellent line on to Elwood's pass. Good support play by Duffy and good hands off the recylce culminated in Robinson ducking and weaving through the last three tackles for a fine try.

The little winger was making his first start for Connacht, and is the first third generation player to represent the province, following his father Frank, a wing-forward who played twice in '68, and his grandfather, Josie Owens, a former mayor of Galway and a stalwart of the 30s and 40s.

Amazingly Connacht were within a point at the interval then, but desperate, scrambling defence was undone when Nicol spoiled Reddan's service at the breakdown for Gareth Flockhart to score a soft try and then Hayes cut through an overstretched defence. But Allnutt and Munn conjured a try and though living off scraps by the end, Munn, Duffy, Peter Bracken and Johnny O'Connor, outstanding again, made stirring breaks from their own half which threatened a break-out try.

"It was always going to be a fraught game," maintained Glasgow coach Richie Dixon afterwards. "Connacht have done very well this season and you can see why. Here at the Sportsground they certainly know how to play for their jersey."

In some respects it will be easier for Glasgow to approach the semi-final against Leinster. "Leinster will be a very difficult game for us," said Dixon. "From a players' point of view, it's a different kind of motivation. We know the Leinster players and we go in as the underdogs."

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 min: Elwood drop goal 3-0; 5: Elwood penalty 6-0; 10: McLaren try, Hayes conversion 6-7; 21: Elwood penalty 9-7; 23: White try, Hayes conversion 9-14; 28: Hayes penalty 9-17; 34: Hayes penalty 9-20; 39: Elwood penalty 12-20; 40: Robinson, Elwood conversion 19-20; 53: Flockhart try, Hayes conversion 19-27; 58: Elwood pen 22-27; 63: Hayes try and conversion 22-34; 68: Munn try, Elwood conversion 29-34.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; T Robinson, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland (capt), T Kearns, R McCormack, R Frost, D Browne, J Charlie, M Swift, J O'Connor. Replacements: P Neville for Charlie (half time), P Bracken for McCormack (52 mins), J McVeigh for Kearns (52-76).

GLASGOW: R Kerr; J Steele, J McLaren, A Henderson, M Bartlett; T Hayes, A Nicol; G McIlwhain, G Bulloch, L Harrison, N Ross, J White, G Simpson, R Reid, G Flockhart. Replacements: A Bulloch for McLaren (65), E Murray for Harrison (76), S Griffiths for Ross (77).

Referee: N Whitehouse (Wales).