| Connacht: (14) 22 |
| Tries: Boyle, Byrne, Kilgallen Cons: Hawkshaw 2 Pen: Hawkshaw |
| Newcastle: (8) 8 |
| Tries: Earle Pen: Schoeman |
Connacht cruised previous Newcastle Falcons to open their European Problem Cup marketing campaign with a 22-8 win in Galway.
A Tian Schoeman penalty and Nathan Earle’s attempt cancelled out Paul Boyne’s early rating and put Falcons 8-7 forward, however Adam Byrne crossed earlier than half-time to present the hosts a 14-8 lead.
Schoeman had a drop-goal charged down earlier than David Hawkshaw’s penalty prolonged Connacht’s result in 17-8.
Diarmuid Kilgallen then collected a cross-field kick to the touch down late on.
Newcastle head coach Dave Walder made 10 modifications to the beginning XV that was overwhelmed at London Irish final weekend, whereas Connacht additionally gave youth an opportunity, and each side performed their half in a busy first half which combined enterprise and errors.
Again row Boyne crossed beneath the posts after a sequence of close-quarter drives to present the hosts a third-minute lead.
Newcastle responded nicely, and after Schoeman decreased the arrears, the South African fly-half’s cross-field kick was collected nicely by Adam Radwan, who offloaded for wing Earle to attain within the nook.
Nevertheless, with the sport turning into scrappy, Falcons didn’t see out the half and their defence was discovered wanting as Connacht winger Byrne burst by lacklustre tackling to race in.
Schoeman’s drop-goal was charged down and a Hawkshaw penalty try drifted broad in an attritional begin to the second half.
Falcons needed to take up mounting strain, incomes Hawkshaw one other shot at objective, which he took to present the hosts a two-score lead.
Newcastle struggled to unlock a well-organised Connacht defence and Kilgallen put the seal on a deserved win by accumulating Conor Fitzgerald’s kick to attain within the left nook.
Cardiff are subsequent up for Newcastle in Pool A at Kingston Park on Saturday (17:30 GMT), whereas Connacht head to France to tackle Brive on Friday (20:00 GMT)
Connacht: O’Halloran, Byrne, Daly, Forde, Kilgallen, Hawkshaw, Blade, Dooley, Tierney-Martin, Aungier, Murphy, Murray, Butler, Hurley-Langton, Boyle.
Replacements: Delahunt, Buckley, Illo, Fifita, McCormack, Reilly, Fitzgerald, Farrell.
Newcastle: Tait, Radwan, Moroni, Penny, Earle, Schoeman, Stuart; Cade, Blamire, Tampin, Peterson, de Chaves, Dalton, Marshall, Chick.
Replacements: Maddison, Brocklebank, Palframan, Peters, Tiffen, Barton, Thomas, Greenlaw.
Referee: Luc Ramos