Galway Advertiser 2005/2005_04_14/GA_1404_E1_124.pdf 

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124

SPORT

April 14 2005

Ospreys frustrate Connacht's ambitions
No perfect send-off for long-serving Elwood
BY LINLEY MACKENZIE

Connacht 13 Ospreys 22
The ingredients were there for the perfect send-off for Connacht's greatest rugby servant, Eric Elwood. After some 17 years with the province, and in his last match at the Galway Sportsground, Elwood led Connacht onto the pitch one last time in front of a 2,000 home crowd. The visitors, the Neath/Swansea Ospreys, travelled to the west already crowned Celtic League champions, but having never beaten Connacht in the Celtic League, hopes were high the Irish province could pull off the double this season, having claimed the spoils in Neath earlier in the season. More importantly in the scheme of Connacht's seasonal ambitions was that a victory would almost seal that one Heineken Cup play-off spot against the Italians. Alas the script just did not go according to plan. Three first-half tries in an 11-minute period from the champions wrapped up this Celtic League clash, and in doing so they denied Connacht even a bonus point, ensuring that Cardiff have everything to play for next

weekend against the Borders. Now only a point behind Connacht in the race for the play-off, Cardiff have every chance of edging out Connacht who must travel to Wales to take on the Dragons. The Ospreys, with little to play for but pride, had it easy in the first half when Connacht conceded a hat-trick of tries to open up a 22 - 8 lead. Yet incredibly they failed to score in a second half which Connacht controlled. Not helped by referee Iain Heard from Scotland in a stopstart game, the Ospreys were forced to defend for most of the second 40, and yet yielded only a single try at the death despite a one-sided penalty count. It was certainly not the most distinguished occasion for Elwood's swansong. The Connacht maestro, like his fellow players, did not have his best day in front of a vocal home crowd; in contrast Gavin Henson, needing just nine more points to become the first player to break through the 500 point barrier in the history of the Celtic League, notched 12 points in his tally of a try, a penalty, and two conversions. It has started promisingly for Connacht with Elwood kicking a third minute penalty and although Gavin Henson replied, Connacht were still
Eric Elwood get a guard of honour from his Connacht teammates after his final home appearence in the Celtic League game at the Sportsground on Sunday against Neath-Swansea Ospreys. Photo:-Mike Shaughnessy

Connacht sub James Downey is tackled in the Celtic League game against Neath-Swansea Ospreys at the Sportsground on Sunday. Photo:-Mike Shaughnessy

well in contention until the Ospreys piled on the pressure for their three-try haul, putting paid to Connacht's hopes. The first try came from a patient Ospreys' build-up between backs and forwards, but it was Matthew Jones' inside pass to lock Jonathon Thomas that unlocked the Connacht defence as he burst through on 22 minutes. Seven minutes later the Ospreys capitalised on a poor Connacht line-out. Once again Thomas did the donkey work before Henson finished off an expansive move on the right. As the home side selfdestructed with a series of unforced errors, the Ospreys took advantage. The third try came after a series of missed first-up tackles from Connacht and it was yet another inside pass from Jones that caught Connacht napping before Shane Williams ran in from David Bishop's overhead pass, extending the Opsreys' lead to 3 - 22 lead. Yet Connacht fought back well and after a series of somewhat bizarre penalties in

which two Ospreys' players were sin-binned -- flanker James Bater and prop Duncan Jones -- Connacht eventually piled over the line with flanker Matt Lacey claiming the try, reducing the half time deficit to 8 - 22. However in a poor second half, Connacht could not make their possession count. They might well rue spurning a host of kickable penalties as they went in search of tries. Three were in front of the posts and had Connacht opted to take those kicks at goal, they could well have salvaged a vital bonus point. Yet for all their possession and penalties in a game lacking continuity, Connacht got nothing for their efforts as the visiting defence held firm. Henson's pressure foiled Mostyn's attempted pass that could well have resulted in a 70th minute try, and despite an erratic scrum and consistently conceding penalties for collapsing the Connacht maul, the Ospreys escaped unscathed. Eventually, however, they could not stop an injury-time try from fullback Matt Mostyn. It could well have

given Connacht a muchneeded bonus point, but on this occasion centre Mark McHugh never struck his conversion with conviction and all hopes are now pinned on Saturday's final fling with the Dragons. Connacht: M Mostyn, C McPhillips, D Yapp, M McHugh, D Slemen, E Elwood, C Keane, R Hogan, J Fogarty, S Knoop, C Short, A Farley (cpt), M Swift, M Lacey, J O'Sullivan. Replacements, P Warwick for Elwood, B Jackman for Fogarty, J Downey for Slemen (all 53m), M Carroll for Farley (68m), M Walls for Keane (70m). Ospreys: G Henson, S Terblanche, D Bishop, S Parker, S Williams, M Jones, J Spice, D Jones, B Williams (cpt), A Jones, A Newman, J Thomas, R Jones, R Pugh, J Bater. Replacements, L Bateman for Newman (64m), R Mustoe for M Jones (71m), R Hibbard for B Williams, A Millward for A Jones, S Tandy for Pugh (all 79m). Yellow cards: J Bater (38m), D Jones (39m); S Knoop (40m). Referee: I Heard