CRAIG RONALDSON DEPARTED the Stadio Monigo field after 54 minutes with 17 points to his name and Connacht well on the way to a bonus point victory.
The playmaking centre showed his value at the heart of the Connacht attack with slick passing and a line-break threat on top of his unerring goal-kicking.
The reigning champions were patient early on, building a lead with the number 12′s boot before the running threat of Tiernan O’Halloran and Niyi Adeolokun stretched the hosts to breaking point.
Following the fullback’s midfield break, Pat Lam’s men recycled well and worked Caolin Blade in for the game’s opening try on 26 minutes.
Ronaldson slotted his third of four first-half kicks at goal to make the advantage 0 – 13 before Adeolokun ensured a scrum turnover in his 22 was transformed into attack. Again, the initial attack was halted, but the collective work-rate would soon bring a try from Finlay Bealham, making the most of a gap to canter in from 10 metres.
As is Connacht’s wont, the contest opened up approaching the interval and Andrea Buondonno hit the corner to put the home side on the board at 5 – 20 before Danie Poolman was denied a try on the stroke of half-time after a Jack Carty knock-on was spotted.
On the day of his 26th birthday, O’Halloran was given a gift early in the second half in the form of a loose kick to the back-field. He duly set a counter-attack in motion and let Sean O’Brien away on a charge into the 22. After setting the stall, Carty grubbered the ball in behind the defence for Ronaldson to pounce and then convert to cap his score for the day before Tom Farrell was called on to replace him.
Danie Poolman on the attack. Matteo Ciambelli / INPHO
Matteo Ciambelli / INPHO / INPHO
O’Halloran made sure he could celebrate the rest of his weekend freely as he burst through a gap on the hour mark and fended off two tacklers on his way over for Connacht’s bonus-point try.
Connacht were home and hosed, and allowed themselves shift too far off the boil late on as Luca Sperandio and David Odiete put some added respect on the scoreboard for the hosts.
Scorers
Treviso
Tries: A Buondonno, L Sperando, D Odiete
Conversions: T Tebaldi (1/2) A Buondonno (1/1)
Connacht
Tries: C Blade, F Bealham, C Ronaldson, T O’Halloran
O'Halloran celebrates birthday with bonus point try in Treviso
Treviso 19
Connacht 34
CRAIG RONALDSON DEPARTED the Stadio Monigo field after 54 minutes with 17 points to his name and Connacht well on the way to a bonus point victory.
The playmaking centre showed his value at the heart of the Connacht attack with slick passing and a line-break threat on top of his unerring goal-kicking.
The reigning champions were patient early on, building a lead with the number 12′s boot before the running threat of Tiernan O’Halloran and Niyi Adeolokun stretched the hosts to breaking point.
Following the fullback’s midfield break, Pat Lam’s men recycled well and worked Caolin Blade in for the game’s opening try on 26 minutes.
Ronaldson slotted his third of four first-half kicks at goal to make the advantage 0 – 13 before Adeolokun ensured a scrum turnover in his 22 was transformed into attack. Again, the initial attack was halted, but the collective work-rate would soon bring a try from Finlay Bealham, making the most of a gap to canter in from 10 metres.
As is Connacht’s wont, the contest opened up approaching the interval and Andrea Buondonno hit the corner to put the home side on the board at 5 – 20 before Danie Poolman was denied a try on the stroke of half-time after a Jack Carty knock-on was spotted.
On the day of his 26th birthday, O’Halloran was given a gift early in the second half in the form of a loose kick to the back-field. He duly set a counter-attack in motion and let Sean O’Brien away on a charge into the 22. After setting the stall, Carty grubbered the ball in behind the defence for Ronaldson to pounce and then convert to cap his score for the day before Tom Farrell was called on to replace him.
O’Halloran made sure he could celebrate the rest of his weekend freely as he burst through a gap on the hour mark and fended off two tacklers on his way over for Connacht’s bonus-point try.
Connacht were home and hosed, and allowed themselves shift too far off the boil late on as Luca Sperandio and David Odiete put some added respect on the scoreboard for the hosts.
Scorers
Treviso
Tries: A Buondonno, L Sperando, D Odiete
Conversions: T Tebaldi (1/2) A Buondonno (1/1)
Connacht
Tries: C Blade, F Bealham, C Ronaldson, T O’Halloran
Conversions: C Ronaldson (3/3) J Carty (1/1)
Penalties: C Ronaldson (2/2)
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Connacht pat lam Pro12 tiernan tiernan o'halloran Treviso