Connacht 16
Newcastle 13

Connacht have often kept their best form for Europe and at the Sportsground on Friday night they humbled a Newcastle Falcons side laden with international talent.

BLOCK ... Connacht prop Robbie Morris, playing against his former side, attempts to block this clearance from Newcastle Falcons' full-back Matthew Tait during Friday?s European Challenge Cup tie. Photo: Reg Gordon.

All-Black prop Carl Hayman made his first start for the Falcons but it is not one he will be keeping for the scrapbook after enduring a torrid time from a Connacht pack that pummelled the Falcons.

Indeed, the much vaunted Falcons pack was on the back foot for long period which starved Jonny Wilkinson and his English international colleagues Jamie Noon, Matthew Tait and Toby Flood of quality possession on which to build a platform.

Instead, it was the Connacht pack who dominated for most of the game with John Muldoon leading the way along with prop Brett Wilkinson and locks Michael Swift and Andrew Farley.

In the end victory was secured when Andy Dunne kept his nerve to steer a penalty in the second minute of stoppage time between the posts to secure a superb victory for Connacht.

It was no more than Michael Bradley's men deserved after dominating a star-studded Newcastle Falcons side who were fortunate to escape with a bonus point.

Yet, Connacht did it the hard way, giving the Falcons a 10-0 advantage in the opening quarter before coming storming back.

Wilkinson edged them in front with 10th minute penalty and then converted Tom May's try after 23 minutes from the right touchline after a John Rudd break had carved the defence before a grubber from Toby Flood sent May over.

But that was the height of the Falcons domination and it was Connacht who set the pace of the game from there with scrum-half Conor O'Loughlin causing untold grief to his unsuspecting visitors.

Appropriately, it was O'Loughlin who hauled his side back into contention when he somehow darted his way over ten minutes from time for a great try.

Dunne landed the difficult conversion into the wind to make it 10-7 at the break with Connacht unable to capitalise on the sinbinning of Falcons hooker Andy Long for persistent fouling.

Connacht were on top for the third quarter, yet the only score in this period was a trademark penalty from Wilkinson from 35 metres.

Remarkably, Newcastle did not manage to make it inside the Connacht 22 for the remainder of the game. Dunne reduced the deficit to 13-10 after 63 minutes with a 35 metre penalty and then five minutes from time illustrated their clear desire to win the contest when they opted for the corner rather than try for an equalising penalty.

The Falcons survived that phase but Connacht returned to their 22 within minutes and Dunne levelled the game with a drop goal two minutes from the end of normal time after a superb break from replacement scrum-half Conor McPhillips had initiated the move.

Connacht did not rest there and displayed great control and discipline to get back into the red zone and, inevitably, force the penalty which gave Dunne the chance to win the game.

He took it and now Connacht head to Newcastle next week with a great chance of making the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup.

Connacht:
Try: O'Loughlin; Con: Dunne; Pens: Dunne (2); Drop goal: Dunne.

Newcastle Falcons:
Try: May; Con: Wilkinson; Pens: Wilkinson (2).

Connacht: G Duffy; A Wynne, D Yapp, M Deane. O Treviranus; A Dunne, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris; M Swift, A Farley; M McCarthy, J O'Connor, J. Muldoon.
Replacements: M Mostyn for Yapp, 49 mins; J Fogarty for Flavin, 49 mins; D Gannon for Swift, 59 mins; R Ofisa for McCarthy, 59 mins; C McPhillips for O'Loughlin, 67 mins; Flavin for Fogarty, 68 mins.

Newcastle Falcons: M Tait; T May, J Noon, T Flood, J Rudd; J Wilkinson, H Charlton; J McDonnell, A Long, C Hayman, G Parling, M Sorensen, B Wilson, B Woods, P Dowson.
Replacements: R Winter for Dowson, 16 mins; L Dickson for Charlton, 58 mins; M Ward for McDonnell, 62 mins; M Thompson for Long, 67 mins; S Tomes for Parling, 71 mins.

Referee: F Maciello (France).

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