Connacht 29 - 0 Cardiff Blues
HT 15-0
Sat 15 February 19:35 The Sportsground Ref: Stuart Berry Guinness PRO14
80

Full Time

FULL TIME | Y CHWIBAN OLAF - Connacht Rugby 29 Cardiff Blues 0

76

Josh Turnbull and Nick Williams combine to win a turnover penalty. 29-0 #GuinnessPRO14

70

Harries manages to narrow his opposite number's space and pile him into touch. 29-0 #GuinnessPRO14

60

Boyde with a great break downfield. He finds Lewis Jones in supports, who ships wide to Edwards. The wing, on for his second debut for the region, is stopped in the corner but Berry pins the hosts and we'll scrum. 29-0 #GuinnessPRO14

59

Conversion (Opp.)

Carty adds the extras. 29-0 #GuinnessPRO14

58

Try (Opp.)

Connacht strike on the break for a bonus point. A promising attacking opportunity, but the ball slips out of the breakdown and Godwin has the pace to run in from his own 22. 27-0 #GuinnessPRO14

54

Fish looking to unlock the Connacht defence by sending a kick behind for Harries to chase, but the touchline wins the race to the loose ball. 22-0 #GuinnessPRO14

52

Amos does well to retain possession and draws Robb to concede the line-out. First throw for the new-look Dacey. 22-0 #GuinnessPRO14

51

Conversion (Opp.)

Carty makes no mistakes with the extras. 22-0 #GuinnessPRO14

50

Try (Opp.)

Porch is over under the sticks, after the ball is shipped wide following a half break and impressive offload from Buckley. 20-0 #GuinnessPRO14

49

Superb clearance from Fish, who was under extreme pressure from Connacht's kick chasers. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

48

Replacement

Dacey and Big Nick are on, replacing Belcher and Boyde. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

47

Amos runs out of room down the left and kicks low into the 22, but Porch manages to just clear the danger. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

45

Fainga'a is penalised for clearing Robinson off beyond the ball. We're on the edge of Connacht's 22. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

42

Early penalty on the edge of the 22, and it's Liam Belcher this time. Dan Fish with a booming kick sends us into the Connacht half. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

41

Kick Off

Jack Carty gets us back underway here in Galway. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

40

Half Time

HALF TIME | HANNER AMSER - Connacht 15 Cardiff Blues 0 #GuinnessPRO14

39

Really unlucky from Olly, who manages yet another turnover but Turnbull knocks the resulting offload forward. Big scrum to end the half. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

39

Big left peg from Fish to find touch outside the 22. Not easy in this swirling wind. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

38

O'Halloran almost under the sticks following a fine offload from Carty, but Marmion knocks on at the resulting breakdown. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

36

Harries does very well to recover a kick behind with two Connacht chasers breathing down his neck, but the wing is eventually forced into touch and the hosts hunt a third try. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

33

Try (Opp.)

Olly Robinson once again hassling at the breakdown, and is there for a good few seconds but Connacht retain possession, with Peter Robb going over in the corner. Conversion is wide. 15-0 #GuinnessPRO14

32

Replacement

Lee-Lo is replaced by Ben Thomas as the Samoan heads in for a HIA. 10-0 #GuinnessPRO14

31

Tovey with a vital tackle to prevent Adeolokun, before there's another huge penalty won in the 22, this time by Boyde. 10-0 #GuinnessPRO14

30

Lloyd Williams' box kick gets caught in the Galway wind and drifts out on the full. 10-0 #GuinnessPRO14

27

Conversion (Opp.)

Carty's conversion takes the hosts' points tally to double figures. 10-0 #GuinnessPRO14

27

Try (Opp.)

Dave Heffernan makes the most of an error to cross the whitewash and extend the hosts' lead. 8-0 #GuinnessPRO14

26

Carty finds the same corner in the 22 and pin the visitors back. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

25

Good combination from Turnbull and Gill in midfield. Connacht can't find the momentum, and this time Marmion sends it high, with Turnbull recovering the possession. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

24

Carty sends it out on the full, as once again they target the left hand corner in the Cardiff Blues 22. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

20

Connacht certainly playing for territory here, and a solid kick from O'Halloran finds touch in the 22. However, Belcher finds Turnbull and there's a great clearance from the boot of Lloyd Williams. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

18

However, yet another attack from the hosts ends with a crucial turnover. That's Olly Robinson's second of the evening as he plants himself firmly over the ball. A familiar sight from Olly! 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

17

Connacht making the most of a handling error to spread wide and advance into the Cardiff Blues 22 here. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

16

Another dominant set piece sees Berry ping the hosts at the scrum. Tovey brings us inside the Connacht half. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

14

Huge penalty won at the scrum to relieve some pressure. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

13

Some big defensive sets here, and once again it's James Ratti with the crucial intervention. This time he rips through the maul to hold the ball up and force a turnover just meters from the try line. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

12

Lloyd Williams kills the threat from Adeolokun out wide, but there was another advantage played. Williams, as skipper, is given a warning for the repeated infringements. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

10

Thumping challenge by Garyn Smith on O'Halloran, stopping the full back when he was at full steam on the counter. However, Berry awards another penalty for the hosts, and they go for the corner. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

9

Connacht back on the attack here as they steal possession at a line-out in the Cardiff Blues 22. However, Olly Robinson pops up with a great turnover, and Boyde charges out of the 22. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

6

Penalty Goal (Opp.)

Lee-Lo rips in contact but is penalised. Carty opens the scoreboard with a penalty that is as straight-forward as they come in Galway. 3-0 #GuinnessPRO14

3

Connacht applying early pressure here, and it looks like O'Halloran has released Marmion, but Ratti makes a crucial try-saving tackle. Couple of phases later, Cardiff Blues force the turnover and clear. 0-0 #GuinnessPRO14

1

Good early take in the air from Dan Fish, but Dmitri Arhip can't quite grasp Lloyd Williams' pass in midfield. We'll pack down for the first time this evening. 0-0 #GuinnessPRO14

0

Kick Off

We've kicked off here at The Sportsground! Jason Tovey gets us underway!