DUNCAN WEIR stunned Connacht with a remarkable final quarter as Richard Cockerill’s side took a huge step towards the PRO14 quarter-finals with victory at the Sportsground.
Connacht seemed to be heading for victory when Finlay Bealham crept over for their third try 14 minutes from time but Weir carried his team to the win with a stellar finish.
Dougie Fife and Duhan van der Merwe also scored tries for Richard Cockerill’s side in the first half, but it wasn’t until Weir’s arrival in the final quarter that they looked likely winners.
With wins over Ulster, Leinster and Munster in the last six weeks, it wasn’t as if Edinburgh needed an early confidence boost but barely 10 seconds had elapsed when the home side handed them the perfect start .
Jaco van der Walt booted his kick-off deep into the Connacht 22 and it looked like a regulation exit for full-back Tiernan O’Halloran, but Edinburgh flanker John Hardie blocked his his kick. Even then there seemed to be an easy route out of trouble for Connacht, but Matt Healy and Caolin Blade left it to each other and Dougie Fife dived on the ball as it crossed the try-line.
They soon stretched that lead when Van der Walt kicked a penalty from under the posts, but after that score the home side finally began to have some success. There were a couple of false dawns, but after 12 minutes Connacht made the key pass stick with a slick move up the middle, which finished with Eoin McKeon sending O’Halloran through a gap for a converted try.
And their second try soon arrived from another good move. Carty was involved heavily in this move and it was his final pass that sent Tom Farrell through the hole for the lead try.
A brilliant long pass from Chris Dean to Blair Kinghorn got Edinburgh around the edge of Connacht’s defence for a Van der Merwe try after 23 minutes.
Just before half time Carty tapped over a penalty as Connacht led 17-13 at half-time, but the concession of a foolish penalty from the returning Quinn Roux allowed Edinburgh to gain immediate territory after the break. Nothing came from that infringement, but Carty then missed a penalty from the left after 49 minutes that would have pushed Connacht’s lead to seven points. It turned out to be a smart penalty to concede by Nathan Fowles considering the Edinburgh try-line was in danger after Healy’s dancing break.
Just before half time Carty knocked over a penalty as Connacht led 17-13 at the break, but he then missed one from out left after 49 minutes that would have put Connacht seven ahead.
Weir was only on the field two minutes when he put a point between the sides from the tee, but 14 minutes from time Connacht struck for home when Fionlay Bealham picked from a ruck to give Connacht a six-point lead to defend.
Weir kicked his second penalty five minutes later, but it was the replacement out half who blocked Craig Ronaldson’s kick, booted it through and won the foot race for the winning score.
Connacht T O’Halloran, N Adeolokun, E Griffin (D Leader 69), T Farrell, M Healy, J Carty (C Ronaldson 62), C Blade (J Mitchell 62); D Buckley (D Coulson 71), T McCartney (c) (D Heffernan 71), F Bealham (D Robertson McCoy 71), G Thornbury, Q Roux (J Cannon 78) , E McKeon (E Masterson 71), J Butler, S O’Brien.
Edinburgh B Kinghorn (P Burleigh 33 HIA); D Fife, M Bennett, C Dean, D van der Merwe; J van der Wal (D Weir 60) t, N Fowles; D Marfo (J Lay ht), N Cochrane, S Berghan (WP Nel 50); B Toolis (L Carmichael 58), G Gilchrist; M Bradbury, J Hardie, B Mata (C du Preez 62).
Referee G Clancy (IRFU).
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