Guinness PRO12: Connacht edge out Edinburgh 14-13 at Murrayfield
Last Updated: 14/09/14 11:22pm
Willie Faloon's late try made it two wins from two games for Connacht as they edged out Edinburgh 14-13 in the Guinness PRO12 at Murrayfield.
Following their opening success over Newport, this time they slugged it out to secure a narrow win in a poor game that rarely came to life due to a large number of injury stoppages.
The hosts took an early lead with a couple of penalties by number 10 Tom Heathcote, before Connacht full-back Darragh Leader levelled up with a pair of kicks of his own.
Edinburgh then produced the best rugby of the game at the end of the first half, capped by a try from number eight Cornell Du Preez that Heathcote converted to help the hosts to a 13-6 interval lead.
Leader pulled back three points midway through the second half before in typical Connacht fashion the visitors put in a late burst, and the winning try by Faloon came from a driven line-out five minutes from time.
Edinburgh took a handsome lead into the break but their scrum problems continued into the second half and 15 minutes after the restart, prop WP Nel, who had replaced John Andress at the break, was shown a yellow card at the set-piece and Leader kicked the penalty.
Just as Nel's time-out was ending, Connacht were reduced themselves, when television evidence saw flanker Faloon sin-binned for stamping.
As the game stumbled towards its end, it came alive when Du Preez hoisted a loose ball upfield and isolated Niyi Adeolokun was forced to concede a scrum five. Du Preez was denied a try off the back of it by TV evidence.
Connacht got upfield and put a penalty into the corner from where the pack mauled over with Faloon touching down. Stand-off Jack Carty failed to convert but Connacht clung on.
