Connacht 3
Ospreys 16

Connacht’s proud record of winning their opening game every year since the competition started came unstuck in the wind and rain of the Sportsground on Friday night as the Ospreys got their Magners League campaign off to a winning start.

Both sides struggled to master the incessant wind and rain as the game became a lottery and a fierce battle between the packs.

Ospreys had the galeforce wind and rain at their backs in the opening half but they struggled to adapt to the conditions as Connacht defended stoutly.

The conditions made it impossible to build the phases and the Ospreys made it clear they would take any points on offer with James Hook getting the off the mark with a fourth minute penalty after Ray Ofisa was penalised for offside.

But Hook was off target with his next two kicks, the first an ambitious 55 metre effort and then a more scoreable effort from 35 metres after 18 minutes when Robbie Morris was penalised for coming in off the side.

But the reprieve was short-lived for Connacht as 19-year old scrum-half Rhys Webb took the restart and put Lee Byrne through for a rare linebreaking run which took him to the 22.

Fly-half Hook seemed to lose control of the pass but recovered to send a punt into the left corner for Nikki Walker to show superb pace to beat the retreating Liam Bibo to the touchdown.

Hook landed the touchline conversion and it seemed the floodgates might open after 27 minutes when Connacht skipper John Muldoon was binned for coming in off the side.

Hook landed the penalty but that was the only score they managed while enjoying an extra man and it was Connacht who got on top in the run-up to the break.

The Connacht pack, with Brett Wilkinson, Mike McCarthy and Ray Ofisa working extremely hard, gave them the foothold to mount a series of attacks but Ian Keatley was short with a 35 metres penalty into the teeth of the wind just before the break.

However, Connacht wasted little time in getting on top after the restart and their hopes were boosted when Ospreys hooker Huw Bennett was binned after six minutes.

Keatley added the subsequent penalty from 45 metres to reduce the deficit and put Connacht into a strong position.

However, Ospreys regrouped and saturated everything Connacht threw at them with Ryan Jones leading by example in a pack which held shape and discipline despite the trying conditions.

Connacht rarely looked like breaking the line although Keatley varied his options and on a more benign evening might have yielded a bigger return.

Keatley had an opportunity to reduce the deficit after 65 minutes but his penalty attempt from 48 metres was just short.

The error count continued to rise as two weary packs slugged it out but neither side was able to take advantage despite good underfoot conditions.

The Ospreys closed out the game nine minutes from time when Connacht, in trouble in the scrum all evening, were again penalised and Hook slotted the penalty from in front of the posts.

That left Connacht needing a converted try to salvage a bonus point but it never looked like coming.
Connacht:
Pen: Keatley

Ospreys:
Try: Walker
Con: Hook
Pens: Hook (3)

Connacht: F Carr; L Bibo, G Duffy, K Matthews, J Hearty; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney.
Replacements: R Loughney for Morris, 70 mins; A Flavin for Cronin, 70 mins; M Swift for Rigney, 73 mins; T Nathan for Keatley, 75 mins.

Ospreys: L Byrne; T Bowe, S Parker, A Bishop, N Walker; J Hook, R Webb; P James, H Bennett, C Griffiths; I Gough, I Evans; A Lloyd, M Holah, R Jones.
Replacements:  E Shervington for Bennett, 57 mins; F Tiatia for Lloyd, 57 mins; AW Jones for Evans, 55 mins; R Wells for Webb, 55 mins; D Jones for James, 70 mins; James for Griffiths, 76 mins.

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