ConnachtÕs biggest test yet

CIARAN TIERNEY

A spirited, if ultimately unsuccessful, performance in Connacht’s first ever Heineken Cup game in London last Friday night has only whetted the appetite further among supporters for the mouth-watering debut home game in European rugby’s premier competition against Toulouse at the Sportsground next Saturday (6pm).

The last remaining tickets for the game the province’s supporters have been waiting for throughout the past 16 years sold out by the close of business yesterday, ensuring there will be a capacity crowd of just under 9,000 at the revamped College Road venue for the visit of the French giants.

And it is a measure of the professional attitude among the members of Eric Elwood’s squad that the former whipping boys of Irish rugby were hugely disappointed not to take some reward from their 25-17 defeat to Harlequins at The Stoop on Friday night.

To put it in perspective, this was as close as the English Premiership leaders have come to losing in their 11 straight wins since the start of the season. Harlequins were just two points up with six minutes to go, after being held scoreless for most of the second half.

Connacht scored two tries, from Tiernan O’Halloran and Gavin Duffy, and dominated the third quarter thanks to a powerful performance from flanker John Muldoon. Instead of being overawed by the occasion, the tournament’s minnows embraced their opportunity in front of hundreds of travelling fans.

Duffy did get through for a try at a key stage, while Connacht were on top, but Niall O’Connor missed a 40 metre penalty and Dave McSharry wasted an overlap while the initiative was very much with the outsiders.

The home side managed just one try of their own on Friday, but edged out the contest thanks to a brace of late penalties from former All-Black Nick Evans.For more, read this week's Con

nacht Sentinel.