Connacht hold on as foiled Edinburgh pick up bonus point
FRASER McKENZIE’S late yellow card ended Edinburgh’s chance of a fightback as they fell to a second Pro12 defeat in two weeks last night.
However, the Scots did leave with a losing bonus point, which goes some way to making amends for the recent loss to Zebre in Italy.
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne kicked two penalties and 18-year-old prospect Blair Kinghorn, who was making his first start, slotted a massive penalty at the end of the first half.
But the only try of the match came from Connacht full-back and Man of the Match, Tiernan O’Halloran.
The hosts scored first after nine minutes. Anton Bressler was adjudged to have gone offside at the breakdown and Jack Carty stepped up to slot over his kick in front of the posts.
Then, just two minutes later, a wonderful Connacht move off a line-out on halfway sent O’Halloran clear for his second try of the season.
Carty gave a clever inside ball to Matt Healy, who broke through the Edinburgh defence and let in O’Halloran.
Hidalgo-Clyne hit back for Edinburgh soon after. But Connacht turned on the pressure again. Healy made the initial break, but Nepia Fox-Matamua put a foot in touch with the try line beckoning.
Edinburgh slowly began to find their rhythm and they gained a couple of penalties at the expense of Rodney Ah You.
One of those penalties, in the 39th minute, was punished by a magnificent kick from young Kinghorn.
Connacht led 8-6 at half-time, and then struck the first blow in the second-half with a Carty penalty.
Edinburgh hit back and won a penalty that Hidalgo-Clyne converted.
However straight from the kick-off, the visitors infringed and Carty kicked his third penalty of the night to make it 14-9.
Connacht had their chances to make the game safe, but they were penalised for holding on and Edinburgh left with the losing bonus point.
SCORERS: CONNACHT — Try: O’Halloran. Pens: Carty (3). EDINBURGH —Pens: Hidalgo-Clyne (2), Kinghorn.