Connacht 75
Montauban 14
Connacht delivered a comprehensive victory over Montauban to seal their place in the round of 16 in their final European Challenge Cup pool fixture.
It was not unexpected against a French outfit that was bottom of pool one, while Connacht entered the match fourth in the table with eight points and a single bonus-point win over Black Lions.
Needing a victory to ensure the best possible seeding for the quarter-finals, particularly having lost to both Montpellier and Ospreys in the previous rounds, Connacht delivered in spades.
Importantly, having produced a comprehensive five points in front of their home support, and with the new Clan Stand due to open next week, Lancaster’s players have not only added impetus to their campaign, but have also given the Connacht faithful all the more reason to come out in force and celebrate the opening of the Dexcom Stadium next week when Leinster are the opponents.
Connacht were on the scoreboard within eight minutes - their first real attack inside the visitors’22. After multiple phases, involving good go-forward ball from Cian Prendergast, outhalf Jack Carty opted to sling a long pass to Boyle who was hugging the sideline, and he broke through to touch down, Carty adding the extras.
The home side continued to dominate possession, and although Finn Treacy was unlucky not to score after chipping ahead on three occasions, a the momentum was with the home side. The visitors had most of the early possession, but were unable to break through the Connacht defence, and thereafter Connacht took control.
The second try came within the 20 minutes from a penalty kicked to touch. Darragh Murray secured possession and scrumhalf Matthew Devine found the supporting Cian Prendergast who barged through for the second try.
However at the stage it was not all one-way with the big Montauban pack exerting control. When Connacht lost possession, the visitors made it count. Centre Simon Renda broke through into the 22, and from the ensuing ruck outhalf Jerome Bosivwil delivered the perfect cross-field kick and fullback Jean Seux did well to step inside the Connacht defence to score.
Their control was short-lived. Within minutes Sam Gilbert added Connacht’s third try, assisted by Josh Murphy’s line break, it was not looking good for the visitors, and it got worse when Montauban replacement hooker was red carded for no-arms clean-out 28 minutes, and not long after when they lost Simon Renda with a yellow card.
It changed the complexion of the game. Referee Ben Connor awarded Connacht a penalty try to give Connacht a 35-7 lead, and when captain Cian Prendergast delivered to Sam Illo, Connacht had added their sixth try.
Before the break Shane’s Jennings break down the right wing provided scrumhalf Matthew Devine with his chance to add his name to the try sheet, and only four minutes later captain Paul Boyle touched down for his second of the evening on the stroke of half time to make him the fifth highest try scorer for the club.
With a half-time lead of 56-7, the game was no longer a contest. Sean Jansen and Shane Jennings added tries after the restart in a game in a game that meandered to its inevitable end, with the visitors scoring a late try. However, Connacht had the last word when Dylan Tierney-Martin crashed over in the final play of the game.
Scoring sequence: 7m P Boyle try, Gilbert con 7-0; 19m Prendergast try, Gilbert con 14-0; Seux try, Bosviel con 14-7; 25m Gilbert try & con 21-7; 29m Penalty try 28-7; 31, H West try, Gilbert con 35-7; 34m Prendergast try, Gilbert con 42-7; 35m Devine try, Gilbert con 49-7; 40m Boyle try, Gilbert 56-7. HT 56-7. 44m S Jansen try 61-7; 65m Jennings try, Naughton con 68-7; 73m Valle try, Fortunel con 68-14; 80m D Tierney-Martin try, Naughton con 75-14.
Yellow cards: Connacht, J Aungier (73 ); Montauban, G Asaeli (29m ), 64m F Pomponio (64m ).
Red cards: Montauban Ru-Hasnn Greyling (28m ).
Connacht: S Gilbert; S Jennings, H West, C Forde, F Treacy; J Carty, M Devine; B Bohan, D Heffernan, S Illo; D Murray, J Murphy; C Prendergast (capt ), P Boyle, S Jansen. Replacements: 23m D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan; 40 m Sean O'Brien for Prendergast, 45m D Buckley for Bohan, J Aungier for Illo, J Joyce for J Murphy, S Walsh for Gilbert; 51m B Murphy for Devine, S Naughton for Carty.
Montauban: J Seux, G Asaeli, S Renda, M Mathy, P Vallee; J Bosviel, H Zabalza; L Seyrolle, M da Costa, S Mafileo; Ct Bitz; L Bean, F Quercy (capt ), T Uanivi, N Ma'afu. Replacements: 23mins D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan; 40 mins Sean O'Brien for Prendergast, 45 mins D Buckley for Bohan, J Aungier for Illo, J Joyce for J Murphy, S Walsh for Gilbert; 51 mins B Murphy for Devine, S Naughton for Carty
Referee: Ben Connor (WRU ).
