Pontypridd ... 12 Connacht ... 9 Pontypridd win 47-39 on aggregate It could well have been a night of celebration - not because Connacht had exited the Parker Pen Challenge Cup at the hands of Welsh Cup holders Pontypridd, but for a season in which Connacht had carved their name in both the Celtic League and the European campaign with pride.
Instead, with Damocles' sword poised above them, there was little sense of a job well done - however much justified. As professionals, Connacht had gone into this second-leg quarter-final earnestly believing they could win, but came up a penalty short.
On a filthy night in Sardis Road, Connacht lost by three points - eight on aggregate - not a bad result against a team ranked among the best of Wales and Europe.
"You would have to say we are up there now too. If Pontypridd are ranked ninth in Europe, then we are up there in the top 20. Nobody would have said three years ago we would be in the top 20 teams of Europe," said coach Steph Nel.
"Yes, we lost by three tonight, and yes, they were probably three points better, but that three points can be made up next season. I would love to coach these guys again and to grow with them for another year."
Therein lies the rub.
"The players have done all they could to justify their existence. They are a great return on investment and the best return of any club in Europe. Now it's up to the officials of Connacht and Irish rugby to come up with a simple plan to keep costs down and to keep Connacht at all costs, " Nel said.
Although Saturday night's wet and muddy conditions were never going to allow this tie to reach the same heights as the first leg in Athlone, once again both clubs, who face an uncertain future, served up a competitive cracker. It was a forceful reminder that Irish rugby is in a healthy state: after all, Ireland's weakest province had kept one of Wales' premier clubs on the rack for 80 minutes.
Having gone into the tie five points down, Connacht needed just one scoring break to take the spoils and thus set up a mouth-watering semi-final tie with Warren Gatland's London Wasps. But the weather and Ponty's well-drilled defence scuppered that. But the chances came thick and fast in the closing 20 minutes when Connacht threw everything at a tiring Welsh side.
After struggling in the opening 10 minutes to halt Ponty's dominance of first-phase possession, Connacht conceded two early penalties which naturally enough Neil Jenkins did not spurn, increasing the Welsh side's aggregate lead to 11.
And in the end it was that penalty count (14-10) in Ponty's favour that decided this match.
Connacht were rewarded for their first concerted attack following a Wayne Munn break when Eric Elwood tacked over a 16th-minute penalty, before Jenkins added a third after 24 minutes. In the conditions the kicking duel always seemed to favour the home side, but still Connacht were down just 9-3 at half-time.
But in trademark fashion Connacht came right back into the game.Unfortunately, too often Connacht found themselves penalised when in scoring positions, losing territorial advantage again; this was epitomised 10 minutes from the end when a concerted drive forward and an expansive move was halted 10 metres form the line - yet again through conceding a penalty.
But as Connacht hung up their boots, packed up the hundreds of emails and telegrams that had lined the Connacht team room, and flew directly home, they could be content if not in celebratory mood that their future no longer rested with their ability on the field, but with the consciences of rugby's guardians in Lansdowne Road.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 min: Jenkins penalty 3-0; 10: Jenkins penalty 6-0; 16: Elwood penalty 6-3; 24: Jenkins penalty 9-3. Half-time. 47: Jenkins penalty 12-3; 53: Elwood penalty 12-6; 60: Elwood penalty 12-9.
CONNACHT: M McHugh; G Duffy, D Yapp, S Moore (capt), W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; R McCormack, J Flannery, P Bracken; D Browne, R Frost; C Rigney, J O'Connor, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: D McFarland for Bracken, M Uijs for Flannery, C Keane for Reddan (all 48 mins), M Swift for Rigney, E Peters for O'Sullivan (61 mins).
PONTYPRIDD: B Davey; G Wyatt, S James, C Sweeney, E Lewis; N Jenkins, P John; G Jenkins, M Davies (capt), D Bell, R Cockbain, R Sioli, R Parkes, W O'Connor, G Lewis. Replacements: M Owen for Cockbain (61 mins).
Referee: Chris White.
Linley Mackenzie
