Carr drives Connacht home
Two tries from Fionn Carr helped Connacht score their first win of the new Magners League season.
Last Updated: 18/09/09 10:45pm
Two second-half tries from Fionn Carr helped Connacht score their first win of the new Magners League season, 18-16, against Cardiff on Friday.
The introduction of centre Jamie Roberts reaped dividends for the Blues early on as the British and Irish Lion combined with Gareth Thomas to help spread the ball out wide for full-back Ben Blair to score.
The Kiwi ace added the conversion and Connacht's new out-half Miah Nikora - a former New Zealand Under-21 international - missed two straightforward opportunities to reply.
Nikora's failure to convert from in front of the Cardiff posts was punished by Blair at the other end, with the penalty coming after good work from captain Paul Tito and Richie Rees.
Ian Keatley helped claw Connacht back into contention, by landing the second of two penalty attempts before the break to take the teams in with Cardiff 10-3 up.
Comeback
Keatley got the hosts on the front foot after the interval though, and winger Carr showed his finishing skills by collecting a dinked kick across to the wing from Gavin Duffy and hack on before touching down.
Cardiff were stuttering and after a hands in the ruck decision saw Ma'ama Molitika sin-binned, Carr slipped through for his third try in two games.
The score was built on sustained pressure from the Connacht forwards and after Troy Nathan was stopped just short of the line, the space opened up on the short side for Carr to strike.
Keatley's subsequent conversion and penalty gave Connacht some breathing space as they looked to seal their first win in seven league games.
Cardiff, bringing another Lion in Andy Powell into the fray, fought back and forced two penalties that Blair was able to convert - but a third from further out was off target and Connacht deservedly held on.
