Warriors waltz past Connacht
Glasgow battled to a 30-9 victory against Magners League basement boys Connacht at rain-sodden Firhill on Friday night.
Last Updated: 15/05/09 10:19pm
Glasgow battled to a 30-9 victory against Magners League basement boys Connacht at rain-lashed Firhill on Friday night.
Hefin O'Hare was the Warriors hero - his late double adding to earlier scores from Colin Shaw and Moray Low to seal a bonus-point success.
Ian Keatley struck three first half penalties for Connacht, however the Irish outfit will rue a luckless campaign which has seen them finish rooted at the bottom of the Magners League table with just four wins to their name.
Glasgow held the upper hand during the jittery opening stages but they were unable to turn their superiority into a significant points advantage.
Colin Gregor edged them in front with a penalty from close range, only for Keatley to reply in identical fashion from 45 metres at the other end.
Warriors surged ahead again with their first fluent attack with a fine try by Shaw on 16 minutes.
Punished
Connacht's problems began when full-back Troy Nathan was yellow carded for deliberately palming a Graeme Morrison chip into touch.
From the set piece, Glasgow swung the ball across the field to Lome Fa'atau, whose grubber kick was perfectly weighted for Shaw to pounce.
The hosts continued to look the more potent outfit but and Keatley punished them again by landing another penalty from a similar distance.
Warriors carved out plenty of chances before the break, but a combination of sloppy handling and stout Connacht defence gave the Irishmen the lead as Keatley completed his treble with the final strike on the stroke of half-time.
The contest was lit up midway through he half thanks to a moment of magic by O'Hare. The outside centre marked the extension of his Glasgow contract by swerving past at least four defenders before squeezing over for a remarkable touchdown.
Low put the game beyond doubt with five minute sremaining by ploughing through for the third try, goaled by Gregor.
He added another when O'Hare again left the Connacht markers for dead to put a flattering complexion on the Glasgow tally.
