FOR THE FIRST time in 11 years, Connacht have won four league games on the spin after a 24-8 win over the Dragons at Rodney Parade today. The result also means they have jumped to seventh in the RaboDirect Pro12 table on 32 points.
An impressive opening quarter for the visitors did most of the damage with tries from captain John Muldoon and Rodney Ah You giving Connacht a 14-3 lead after 24 minutes.
Dragons had earlier opened the scoring with a Jason Tovey penalty following a turnover at the breakdown. However, the 24-year old missed a chance to double their lead four minutes later when his long range effort slipped wide.
Advertisement
Connacht looked to have scored in the 12th minute but Kieran Marmion was ruled to have played the ball early after the TMO was called into action. However, Pat Lam’s men didn’t have long to wait for their first try when Muldoon pounced after a Dragons’ scrum capitulated.
After Rober Sidoldi was shown a yellow for constant infringement at the breakdown, the Connacht pack once again set to work with Ah You diving over the line for their second score of the game after a lineout.
The Welsh side came out stronger after the break but they still struggled to break down the Connacht defence and the game was effectively over when Muldoon went over for his second score on 67 minutes.
Thought the Dragons took advantage of a Darragh Leader yellow card just two minutes later, it was too little too late for the hosts and Michael Swift’s try in the final minute was enough to give Connacht the bonus point win.
Scorers for Connacht: Tries: Muldoon (2), Ah You, Swift Con: Parks (2)
Scorers for Dragons: Tries: Prydie Pen: Tovey
Connacht: R Henshaw; T O’Halloran, E Griffin, D McSharry (Leader 20), F Carr; D Parks (M Nikora 65), K Marmion; D Buckley (R Loughney 73), J Harris-Wright (D Haffernan 38), R Ah You (N White 47), A Muldowney, M Kearney (M Swift 54), J Muldoon (capt.), E Masterson (A Browne 50), E McKeon.
Dragons: D Evans; T Prydie, R Wardle, J Dixon (Smith 47), W Harries; J Tovey, R Rees (W Evans 53); O Evans (Price 28), H Gustafson (Dee 28), B Douglas (Bell 28), A Coombs (capt.), R Sidoli (M Screech 57), L Evans, N Cudd, N Talei (T Faletau 50).
They are capable of beating Toulouse away these days so no problem to them to slay the dragons away but a fantastic win. Think that’s the third or fourth bonus point on the trot also. Great to see Connacht academy guys like Masterson and Heffernan making impacts alongside some stalwarts maybe u21 sean O brien and a few others will make the squad soon, grassroots to greenshirts!.
The game against the Scarlets becomes an important one!!! Would be great if they could take more points on the road before the 2 big inter pros!!! Hon Connacht!!
ack were amazing – Rodney was man possessed running (or should i say “parading” *cringes from bad pun*) arround the pitch.. his scrumming, tackling, even handling were top notch
Lineout and scrum were scaringly dominant
Marimon continues to put his hand up to play big part in Argentina tour selection
As an aside, the TMO was an embarresment to the game being a “professional” one… glad he didn’t cost us
Questions are always asked about the credibility of Connacht wins during then International period, well fair to say that they backed up improving performances against Edinburgh, Zebre and Treviso with an excellent comprehensive win in Wales against a Dragons side with a very solid home record.
It’s amazing how the change in the scrum laws has enabled turning Ah You into a first choice destructive tight head, adding that to what we already knew about his kiwi coached ball skills, carrying and pace. The drop off overall when he was replaced by White was very significant today, not enough to affect the result but certainly validation of Pat Lam’s vote of confidence.
Great result, hopefully with more to come this season. Absolutely delighted for Lam after all the cr*p he’s had to endure with in terms of the neersayers (Irish media and a cluster of belligerent supporters) and bad results which were largely dictated by huge injury lists, for which the doom mongers were all happy to ignore to score some cheap points.
With all that’s gone on this season with regards to post Eric depression, CEO departure, Injury list (losing Faloon for 2/3 season etc), James So’ialo coming and going, Craig Clarke concussion revelation, 400k deficit, Lam has stuck to his beliefs and the squad clearly still got the support of the squad. To get close to the points accumulated by Eric last season would be a massive achievement, to qualify for HEC by right would be performing miracles………
Is Brian Flanagan the manager to bring Kildare face-to-face with their potential?
Paul Keane
20 mins ago
0
FreeLadies Football
Cork's Skibbereen win All-Ireland schools A final in the dying seconds
25 mins ago
0
new ground
'Bundee has one but I won't be putting on a Mayo jersey yet!'
11 hrs ago
2
Sign in or create a free account
To continue reading create a free account
Or sign into an existing account
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 160 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.Privacy Policy
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 110 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 142 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 112 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 83 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 83 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 38 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 34 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 133 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 59 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 74 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 83 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 37 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 46 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 27 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 92 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 99 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 72 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 53 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 88 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 69 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
Huge win for Connacht , would love to see them grab 6th and not need any provincial favours to play in Europe’s top Competition.
They are capable of beating Toulouse away these days so no problem to them to slay the dragons away but a fantastic win. Think that’s the third or fourth bonus point on the trot also. Great to see Connacht academy guys like Masterson and Heffernan making impacts alongside some stalwarts maybe u21 sean O brien and a few others will make the squad soon, grassroots to greenshirts!.
Ya i also thought both Heffernan and Masterson look like good prospects.
Agree thought both Heffernan and Masterson impressed
Huge effort from Connacht, real physical domination, Rodney Ah Hear bossed the early scrums
Well done Connacht, and Pat Lam, after all the fools calling for his head earlier this season. A new coach needs time, this isn’t football!
Well done Connacht. An away bonus point win as well.
Dragons were piss poor from the highlights on tg4, well done connaught flying at the moment!
And to think the regions wanted to join the Aviva Prem because it would provide for a better competition.
Competition my hole more money id say!!
The game against the Scarlets becomes an important one!!! Would be great if they could take more points on the road before the 2 big inter pros!!! Hon Connacht!!
ack were amazing – Rodney was man possessed running (or should i say “parading” *cringes from bad pun*) arround the pitch.. his scrumming, tackling, even handling were top notch
Lineout and scrum were scaringly dominant
Marimon continues to put his hand up to play big part in Argentina tour selection
As an aside, the TMO was an embarresment to the game being a “professional” one… glad he didn’t cost us
Questions are always asked about the credibility of Connacht wins during then International period, well fair to say that they backed up improving performances against Edinburgh, Zebre and Treviso with an excellent comprehensive win in Wales against a Dragons side with a very solid home record.
It’s amazing how the change in the scrum laws has enabled turning Ah You into a first choice destructive tight head, adding that to what we already knew about his kiwi coached ball skills, carrying and pace. The drop off overall when he was replaced by White was very significant today, not enough to affect the result but certainly validation of Pat Lam’s vote of confidence.
Great result, hopefully with more to come this season. Absolutely delighted for Lam after all the cr*p he’s had to endure with in terms of the neersayers (Irish media and a cluster of belligerent supporters) and bad results which were largely dictated by huge injury lists, for which the doom mongers were all happy to ignore to score some cheap points.
With all that’s gone on this season with regards to post Eric depression, CEO departure, Injury list (losing Faloon for 2/3 season etc), James So’ialo coming and going, Craig Clarke concussion revelation, 400k deficit, Lam has stuck to his beliefs and the squad clearly still got the support of the squad. To get close to the points accumulated by Eric last season would be a massive achievement, to qualify for HEC by right would be performing miracles………
well done! great!
Will people please stop writing it as Connaught it’s Connacht!
Basta### British googol
spell checker!!!!!!
Great result! Well done Connaght
Well done Pat Lam and Connacht. Delighted for them.
H’on Connacht!