Connacht 23
Leinster 34
The Connacht faithful had been ready and waiting for years for a stadium to call their own - the 12,000 supporters at Dexcom Stadium on Friday evening was a far cry from the few thousand who could squeeze into the old Sportsground.
That they witnessed another defeat at the hands of Leinster did not detract from the occasion, but was a reminder that games are won on the field, not in the stands.
Yet the Connacht supporters did their best - a sold-out Dexcom was rocking before the kick-off, an expectant and contented crowd was in high spirits, finally comfortable in a modern stadium to rival the other provinces.
The only pity was Connacht could not add the victory cherry on top - having come close. Ahead 20-13 after 44 minutes, they looked capable of the ideal result - but Leinster has other ideas, and eventually produced three second-half tries to dampen the Connacht party.
Yet the home side delivered in spades in the opening half, despite having conceded in he eighth minute - prop Niall Smyth delivering to scrumhalf Fintann Gunne following a penalty to touch - Harry Byrne adding the conversion.
Yet Connacht made their possession count after 12 minutes - sending a penalty to the line. Captain Cian Prendergast led from the front and with the pack making the hard yards, hooker Dylan Tierney Martin was able to touch down, with Sam Gilbert adding the extras.
Connacht continued to create opportunities to add to their score, but had to settle for a penalty after 23 minutes, while Leinster replied through Harry Byrne within minutes, and in a tight opening half, both sides exchanged penalties to go into the break level at 13-13.
It was looking good for Stuart Lancaster’s men when they opened the second half with a try within four minutes. Good handling from Jansen and Boyle helped Harry West to dot down after the restart, and Gilbert added the conversion to put his side in front by 20-13.
But as the game progressed, the visitors became more dominant, and made it count in the 57th minute when RG Snyman crossed for a vital score, converted by Harry Byrne. And despite a good clearance from Sam Gilbert under pressure, the visitors regained control, and within minutes Charlie Tector scored a try, converted by Byrne.
It put Leinster into the lead 20-27 and with the momentum. Howevert he home side continued to create opportunities, but could not make it count in the face of a solid Leinster defence. Although Gilbert sent a penalty through the posts to narrow the gap to 23-27, Leinster had the final say and from a five-metre scrum, and Byrne sent Frawley through for a try in the corner, adding the extras for a 23-43 win.
A disappointing result for Connacht, having “played really well in first half”, says Lancaster. But two tries in some five minutes “ultimately cost us”.
“That's something I've spoken about in the changing room over the last few games, where that consistent application of doing the fundamentals consistently under pressure for the full 80 minutes is the step we need to take as a team. However, Lancaster said it was “ a privilege to be part of the occasion”.
'I thought the boys in the week leading into it, everyone at Connacht Rugby put so much effort into it, so it's absolutely gut-wrenching to not come away with a win.”
Connacht: S Gilbert; S Jennings, H West, C Forde, F Treacy; J Ioane, C Blade; B Bohan, D Tierney-Martin, S Illo; J Murphy, D Murray; C Prendergast (capt ), P Boyle, S Jansen. Replacements: E de Buitléar for Tierney-Martin 70, D Buckley for Bohan 49, J Aungier for Illo 8-18 HIA, and 49, J Joyce for Murray 61, S O’Brien for Boyle 61, B Murphy for Blade 72, J Carty for Ioane 63, Bundee Aki for Forde, 8-18 HIA, and for West 49.
Leinster: Ciarán Frawley; Joshua Kenny, Garry Ringrose, Charlie Tector, James Lowe; Harry Byrne, Fintan Gunne; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Niall Smyth; RG Snyman, James Ryan; Alex Soroka (for Mangan, 56-62 HIA ), Will Connors, Caelan Doris (capt ). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher for McCarthy 49, Jerry Cahir for Boyle 19, Andrew Sparrow for Smyth 51, Brian Deeny for Snyman 71, Diarmuid Mangan for Soroka 45, Scott Penny for Connors, 49, Luke McGrath for Gunne, 56, Ruben Moloney for Kenny, 78.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU
