In their attempt to secure a spot in the URC play-offs, Connacht suffered a disappointing defeat, falling to Benetton in the final moments of the match. Connacht had a near-win situation having taken the lead for the first time in the 73rd minute, only to falter and let Benetton stage a final comeback.
The finale wasn’t striking, but a weak flank defense by Connacht allowed Alessandro Izekor to strike the decisive blow. Battling against a strong Italian team of international players proved challenging, but Connacht still managed a robust show, securing a 73rd minute try and maintaining their push towards the play-offs.
The team coordinated a multi-phase assault, led by substitute Jarrad Butler, with Cian Prendergast eventually scoring his fifth try of the season. This seemed to secure a win for Pete Wilkins’ team.
“The dedication and tenacity we demonstrated is synonymous with our club’s identity. That is our standard. We never deviate from that degree of intensity and commitment. By maintaining that ethos, we’ll remain in the play-offs and command our future,” Wilkins commented.
With the game being a close contest throughout, neither team excelled. But considering 11 teams are vying for the top eight positions, Connacht may come to rue this loss.
Benetton started strong, applying early pressure that Connacht buckled under, leading to their scoring a try in the first eight minutes. The Argentinian international, Ignacio Mendy, after receiving a skip pass from Jacob Umaga, secured a try, with Umaga adding a penalty to make it 10-3.
Despite keeping hold of the ball for most parts and controlling the pitch, Connacht found it tough to penetrate the Italian defense until late in the first half. Niall Murray, gaining from a penalty to touch, managed to get a try following a delayed pass from McDonald, leading to a finishing half-time score of 10-7, thanks to Jack Carty’s conversion.
During the second half, both teams missed opportunities, with Carty erring on a penalty. However, a surge in the score to 13-7 by Umago when Connacht was penalised for non-release initiated one of Connacht’s top offensive moves. Their efforts paid off when Prendergast appeared to secure a try for victory.
Regrettably, it was Benetton who managed to execute the perfect ending, with Alessandro Izekor discovering a gap on the sidelines dealing a blow to Connacht’s play-off aspirations.
The Benetton team lineup comprised R Smith; I Mendy, T Menoncello, I Brex, O Ratave; J Umaga, A Garbisi; T Gallo, G Nicotera, G Zilocchi; N Cannone, E Snyman; A Izekor, M Lamaro, T Halafihi. Replacements were made throughout the match with L Cannone for Lamaro at 25 minutes, A Uren for Garbisi at 45 minutes, B Bernasconi for Nicotera at 48 minutes, M Spagnolo and T Pasquali, among others.
The Connacht team included T O’Halloran; D Kilgallen, D Hawkshaw, C Forde, Andrew Smith; Jack Carty; Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier; N Murray, J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle. Changes included Shayne Bolton for Kilgallen at 16 minutes, Colm Reilly for McDonald at 45 minutes, and later replacements included Shane Jennings, Sam Illo, Denis Buckley, Jarrad Butler, and Eoin de Buitléar.
The game was overseen by referee M Ferrari from South Africa.