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Connacht’s Finlay Bealham and Johan Meyer of Zebre in action. Bryan Keane/INPHO

Disappointment for hosts Connacht as they fall to second defeat of season to Zebre

The game finished 11-19 at the Sportsground.

Connacht 11

Zebre 19

By John Fallon at the Sportsground

CONNACHT FELL TO a second defeat of the season to Zebre when an error-ridden performance was punished by the Italians.

Zebre finished with 13 men after having two players binned in the closing stages but they were well worth their victory.

Former Connacht coach Michael Bradley was back at the Sportsground along with two former players, Ciaran Gaffney and Rory Parata.

But Gaffney’s night lasted just seven minutes after he picked up an injury which forced him to be carried off.

Craig Ronaldson got Connacht off the mark with a penalty after 17 minutes, but it was Zebre who struck for the opening try.

Winger Gabriele Di Giulio made most of the hard ground before setting up No.8 Renato Giammarioli and the Italian international raced in to score near the posts.

Italian fly-half Carlo Canna converted to make it 7-3 and there was a let-off for Connacht when Di Giulio scored in the right corner on the half hour but was whistled back when the TMO spotted a forward pass from Canna in the build-up.

Connacht had a chance to reduce the deficit but Ronaldson’s penalty from 45 metres did not hit the target.

But he reduced the gap to the minimum at the break with a penalty in front of the posts after a grubber from Caolin Blade was taken back over his own line by his scrum-half counterpart Guglielmo Palazzani to leave it 7-6 at the interval.

Zebre enjoyed the better start to the second-half and were rewarded for going to the left corner with a penalty with a try on the opposite side after an eleven-phase move, with Di Giulio getting over to score.

Connacht coach Kieran Keane drafted in Irish internationals Kieran Marmion and Quinn Roux along with team captain John Muldoon to try rescue the game.

Guglielmo Palazzani, Matt Healy and Gabriele Di Giulio The game finished 11-19. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

But it was Zebre who pushed further ahead when a clearance from Marmion was charged down and skipper George Biagi set up replacement prop Andrea De Marchi for Zebre’s third try, which Canna converted to make it 19-6 after 65 minutes.

Zebre were reduced to 14 men for the final eight minutes when flanker Maxime Mbanda was binned with a penalty count at 17-6 in Connacht’s favour.

And they made the extra man count immediately, going to the right corner before switching across for full-back Darragh Leader to score.

But Ronaldson was off target with the conversion to leave eight points between them going into the closing stages.

Parata was binned in the closing stages but the Connacht lineout, in disarray throughout, coughed up a five-metre chance in the final play and Connacht didn’t even get a bonus point.

Connacht
Try: Leader
Pens: Ronaldson (2)
Zebre
Tries: Giammarioli, Di Giulio, De Marchi
Cons: Canna (2)

Connacht: Darragh Leader; Cian Kelleher, Eoin Griffin, Tom Farrell (Pita Akhi ’60), Matt Healy; Craig Ronaldson, Caolin Blade (Kieran Marmion ’51); Denis Coulson (Peter McCabe ’65), Tom McCartney (Dave Heffernan ’65), Finlay Bealham (Conor Carey ’66, Bealham ’75)); Gavin Thornbury (Quinn Roux ’51), James Cannon; Eoaghan Masterson (John Muldoon ’52), Naulia Dawai (John Muldoon ‘7-14), Sean O’Brien.

Zebre: Ciaran Gaffney (Serafin Bordoli ‘7); Gabriele Di Giulio, Giulio Bisegni, Faialaga Afamasaga, Rory Parata; Carlo Canna, Guglielmo Palazzani; Cruze Ah-Nau (Andrea De Marchi ’61), Olivero Fabiani (Tommaso D’Apice ’69), Dario Chistolini (Dario Tenga ’51); James Tucker (David Sisi ’51), George Biagi; Johan Meyer, Maxime Mbandà, Renato Giammarioli (Derick Minnie, ’75).

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).

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    Mute Gary
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    Feb 16th 2018, 9:57 PM

    That’s a brutal result. Ulster lost also.

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    Mute Mike Pratt
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:26 PM

    @Gary: I’m not familiar with the Connaught playing squad, but I’d imagine they were resting all their better players ahead of the European tie with Gloucester. Having a league with no relegation allows that sort of thing

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    Mute Nomi Bear
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:04 AM

    @Mike Pratt: It was pretty much a full strength connaught team apart from a few injuries and international call ups.
    Aren’t the Aviva premiership thinking of copying the pro 14 and getting rid of relegation??

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:15 AM

    @Nomi Bear: We were missing Buckley, Delahunt,Toh, butler Dillane Aki Niyi McKeon and Roux, Marmion and Carty got little to no game time so hardly close to a full XV. Tonight’s performance shows we don’t have strength in depth.

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    Mute Nomi Bear
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    Feb 17th 2018, 7:38 AM

    @Damien Costello: Marmion and Roux played. Presumably Dillane has been allowed compassionate leave.

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    Mute Conor Paddington
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    Feb 16th 2018, 9:58 PM

    A lot of people seem surprised and disappointed that the Italians have kicked on in a serious way this year… they have, and it’s a good thing.

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    Mute Eddie Hekenui
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:10 PM

    @Conor Paddington: Agreed. Edinburgh beating Leinster Ulster back to back with both them and Italian teams already having 2 more wins that they did in all of last season is fantastic for the league.

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    Mute EK
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:18 PM

    @Conor Paddington: You’re right to give credit to Zebre and Italian rugby and Treviso’s win against Scarlets was massive last week too.

    However, and I hate to finish on a caveat, Connacht were very poor also.

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    Mute CB
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:43 PM

    @Conor Paddington: It’s gas, we’ve been wanting the italians to step to the plate for years and once they start to, we complain!
    It’s great for the quality of the league however, from a provincial point of view, we have traditionally used the italian fixtures as opportunities to give younger/squad players a shot and help build depth. Hopefully opportunities like these don’t disappear completely.

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    Mute Noah Rossiter
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:00 PM

    Connacht were dreadful. Their lineout was horrific and Blade and Ronaldson’s passing really slowed Connacht’s attack down. They just look like a team who are lacking proper coaching at the moment, which is a shame considering that a few years ago they probably had the best handling ability in the league under Lam.

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    Mute CB
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:16 PM

    @Noah Rossiter: makes you wonder whether or not Kieran Keane will last long out west. They haven’t shown much promise under him at all. Seems like the energy has been sapped from the squad Lam built.
    Great to see Gaffney and Parata forging careers for themselves in the Pro12 and not just settling for english Championship teams like many provincial players who get let-go end up

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    Mute Coco86
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:24 PM

    @CB: Was Parata let go? Seems a bit strange looked like a decent player

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    Mute CB
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:29 PM

    @Coco86: I believe so – didn’t get whatever contract he was on renewed anyway. Very strange seeing he had played (and scored) in big european games. I was surprised either him or Gaffney weren’t kept on.

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    Mute Prof. William Joyce
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    Feb 16th 2018, 9:56 PM

    Shocking stuff…!

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    Mute Paddy Kennedy
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:01 PM

    An absolute and utter disgrace from Connacht coming from someone who’s had a season ticket for the last 7 years. Obviously the 2016 Pro12 win was a fluke, Gloucester will be licking their lips seeing this result tonight.

    I’m genuinely embarrassed for the squad losing to a team without a bonus point that should have been at lest a win if not with a bonus point.

    A disgrace and an embarrassment to the province. I never thought I’d say this but I’m embarrassed by that result and I’m embarrassed to say I’m a Connacht supporter after that shonet show.

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    Mute The Irish Pain
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:13 PM

    @Paddy Kennedy: jeez Paddy take it easy.

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    Mute Con O'Hannrachàin
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:25 PM

    @Paddy Kennedy: don’t renew your ticket so. I’ve been there for 18 years I’ve seen the woeful and the fantastic results but one thing that always stands out is the real supporters

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    Mute Joe
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:28 PM

    @The Irish Pain:

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    Mute Noel Ryan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:05 AM

    @Paddy Kennedy: Ya it’s only rugby, cop on

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    Mute Niall Martin
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Paddy Kennedy: You can’t fluke winning a league.

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    Mute Range Rover
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:25 AM

    @Paddy Kennedy: Saying you’re embarrassed only patronises Zebre. They are a strong side on their day. Time to stop counting on the guaranteed BP win against them.

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    Mute Tom Beurghs
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:01 PM

    Referee was a joke. Never seen such a home referee. Every decision was against Zebre and still they won. Great win for them!

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    Mute Justin Flynn
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:18 PM

    @Tom Beurghs: i disagree…Zebre were offside so many times and were never penalised. Secondly the Ref should have carded a Player much earlier seeing they gave away so many penalties. Saying that Connacht were so poor and the lineout was shocking

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    Mute Padraic Forde
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:15 PM

    A shocking performance, the defending through the middle was schoolboy stuff at times. Don’t think Keane is the right fit though.

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    Mute Martin Redington
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:16 PM

    A clear example of 1 team who basically wanted more than the other..

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:12 PM

    Have been a Connacht fan for the last 10 years and I have to say this is the most inept and embarrassing performance I’ve seen especially at home. We look aimless and every facet of the game malfunctioned tonight. If we don’t have our first 15 out we really are a poor team. Didn’t bring heffernan on until the last 15 mins when the line out was terrible all game, left Carty and Marmion on the bench for most if not all of the game in Cartys case when Blade and Ronaldson were having shockers. The backline was a complete mess only Healy I felt actually deserved any credit whatsoever and he didn’t have a good game either.

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    Mute Joe Vlogs
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:27 PM

    I came on here last week and berated Munster’s performance against Zebre. I do think Zebre played better today than last week, but considering Munster actually won last week, and Munster had a lot more players missing from their squad than Connacht did today, that was actually embarrassing.
    Firstly, congratulations to Zebre, because even giving away 20 penalties or so, still won the game and deserved it. But that was one of the most dire Connacht performances I have seen. We know the team can perform, but it seems they are more keen to impress other provinces than play for their team, and when the opposition is ‘lowly’ Zebre, they don’t bother to turn up. Bealham, Marmion and Roux played well I felt, but we cannot rely on individuals, and there is the reason that more Connacht players aren’t being chosen for the national team…and having criticised this, I am beginning to understand it.
    In terms of gameplan, the lineout didn’t work, so why keep kicking to corners? Quick tap, scrum or take the points! Also, much as I like Ronaldson as a utility player, I really don’t think he is good enough as a ten. For all his faults, Carty takes the ball close to the gainline. Ronaldson sits deep, and that works ok if you are kicking the corners, but just shovelling on the ball, and any rush defence will push you back.
    And for those who think it is KKs fault, I think he is our best option for sorting this out. He isn’t tolerant of mediocrity, and he isn’t one to hold back his displeasure. We have played well at times this season, so it’s not like we don’t have the players to do it (we don’t have much depth, but playing as a team we can play quality rugby). We just need leaders on the field as well, an enforcer for our own team.

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    Mute mark m
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:46 AM

    As a season ticket holder for the past decade- i know there will be a raft of technical reasons etc we lost but i have never felt so “let down” and embarrased by a performance for several years

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    Mute The Irish Pain
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:10 PM

    Performance was epitomised by last play of game. Connacht, 8 points down and with 30 seconds left on the clock, kick to the corner. Brainless.

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    Mute Sean Donohue
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:24 PM

    Brought my 8 year old for his first time to the sportsground thinking he’d see a few tries and a good win. Not for a moment did I think it would be Zebre doing the business. All credit to the Italians but we did give them a helping hand. Methinks a bit of next weeks training will involve line-outs ,handling and the breakdown. The Lam days involved a lot of direct and open discussion about what went wrong. Hope KK encourage’s the same.

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    Mute Anto Whelan
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:17 PM

    How embarrasing.

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    Mute Ben Sheridan
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:35 PM

    Really poor

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    Mute Brian Jones
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    Feb 16th 2018, 10:29 PM

    Kk honesty wtf was that.

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    Mute j Heffernan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:22 PM

    Great credit is due to Michael Bradley for coaching a team of very ordinary players to play to their full potential and with confidence. They would have won by more if they had a better decision making 10.
    Also Connaght look like they thought they would win by just turning up.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:59 AM

    Zebre look to have come a long way, clever play, owned that inside pass caused Connacht real problems.

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    Mute Mikey Burke
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:13 PM

    Really disappointing result for Connacht. They should be eating teams like that. I thought although, the front row put in a massive shift in the scrum, with coulson and Bealham. They forced Penalties which Connacht could kick to the corner and gain territory, but connacht couldn’t capitalise on them with their poor performance in the line out. The better team definitely won

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    Mute Con O'Hannrachàin
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    Feb 16th 2018, 11:26 PM

    Gtt

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