Rugby union: Con men are just too good

THE Irish men overturned a 17-point deficit to pip Bridgend and keep their unbeaten Celtic League record intact.

Connacht owed victory to a superbly controlled display from an abrasive pack which wore down a disjointed home side.

Bridgend's hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals now lie in ruins after a third consecutive defeat.

Yet they raced ahead with a superb counter-attacking try which was finally scored by flanker Maama Molitika who went over near the posts.

Then British Lion Dafydd James showed his class bursting through and leaving full-back Mark McHugh for dead before coolly scoring under the posts.

Play was held up while Connacht skipper Tim Allnutt was stretchered off.

His exit seemed to spur the visitors who grabbed a try through left-wing Wayne Munn.

The visitors pack began to dictate possession and Bridgend were left to defend a fragile lead.

The pressure told when the Irish men worked an overlap for Darren Yapp to cross wide out.

Although Craig Warlow kept Bridgend in touch with a penalty hat- trick the visitors snatched victory when Eric Elwood and Yapp linked to send full-back McHugh storming across.

Bridgend made desperate attempts to get some momentum going, but they were outflanked by the visitors who repeatedly turned over the ball to continually frustrate their efforts.

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