Connacht turn up the heat but Marias class tells in the end
MATT HEALY scored twice but Connacht were denied a second touring win in a week as Niel Marias kicked a last-minute penalty to give Cheetahs victory in South Africa.
Eoin Griffin also scored for Kieran Keane’s side, who were unfortunate not to become the second winners at the Toyota Stadium this season after an excellent second-half display.
With Sean O’Brien and John Muldoon in brilliant form, they worked their way back from a 10-0 defecit to lead by nine points after an hour. But Sibhale Maxwane hit back and Niel Marias kicked the winner at the death for the Cheetahs. Cheetahs were sharp from the off, but some sleepy defending at the side of the ruck from Pita Ahki allowed Uzair Cassiem to break from the ruck and score easily after four minutes.
Niel Marias added the conversion and a penalty six minutes later as Cheetahs piled on the pressure and were efficient in clearing their lines, but a great turnover from O’Brien after 12 minutes finally eased the pressure on Connacht.
And three minutes later Healy struck when Caolin Blade and Ahki linked well off a scrum, while Carty was on the mark with the conversion. Marias added two more penalties before the break, but those kicks sandwiched Healy’s second try.
Again Connacht stuck off a scrum, as Cian Kelleher and Ultan Dillane carried well on the right, but quick hands across the line saw Cheetahs caught outnumbered again in the left corner. Marias’s third kick made it 16-12, but Carty made the most of the extra distance at altitude and kicked a monster from his own half, to leave it 16-15 at the interval.
Carty gave Connacht the lead two minutes after the restart, but just before the hour-mark it was Carty’s show-and-go that broke the defensive line as Griffin raced in try number three for Keane’s side.
That nine-point lead was eaten into when Sibhale Maxwane scored off the wing for Cheetahs, but they still trailed by two points until Marias kicked an 80th-minute winner.