Ospreys inflict defeat on Connacht in pulsating game
Ospreys recovered from a 12-point deficit at half-time to defeat Connacht in the Guinness PRO14 at The Sportsground, Galway, this afternoon.
It's a fourth straight home loss for Connacht, but the losing bonus point keeps them in second place in Conference, albeit a long way behind leaders Munster.
Tries from Alex Wootton and Paul Boyle in the first half left Connacht in a strong position at the break, leading 17-5, but their only score in the second half was a penalty, while Ospreys ran in three tries to win 26-20.
The Welsh club went ahead early on through a George North try, which went unconverted, but Connacht took the lead in the 29th minute when Wootten went over for a try that was converted by Conor Fitzgerald, who had earlier opened the westerners' account with a penalty.
A yellow card for Justin Tipuric gave Connacht further impetus heading towards half-time and they took advantage of the man advantage, Boyle barging over from a Kieran Marmion pass. A successful conversion by Fitzgerald stretched the lead to 12 points, leaving Connacht with a 17-5 lead at the break.
But Ospreys were far from finished. Mat Protheroe went in under the posts on 47 minutes, with Stephen Myler converting, and when scrum-half Rhys Webb went over again just four minutes later and his half-back partner again converted, it left Ospreys ahead by two, 19-17.
Connacht went back ahead soon afterwards when Fitzgerald scored his second penalty of the afternoon, but Ospreys had the final say when Webb touched down in the left corner off a lineout drive. Myler converted to give the Welsh team a 26-20 advantage, and that's how it finished at the end of a pulsating clash.
Connacht: John Porch; Peter Sullivan, Tom Daly, Peter Robb, Alex Wootton; Conor Fitzgerald, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Gavin Thornbury, Jarrad Butler, Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Matthew Burke, Conor Kenny, Niall Murray, Abraham Papali'i, Caolin Blade, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy.
Ospreys: Dan Evans; George North, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Mat Protheroe; Stephen Myler, Rhys Webb; Rhodri Jones, Sam Parry, Ma'afu Fia, Adam Beard, Rhys Davies, Will Griffiths, Justin Tipuric, Dan Lydiate.
Replacements: Ifan Phillips, Gareth Thomas, Tom Botha, Lloyd Ashley, Morgan Morris, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Josh Thomas, Keelan Giles.