CONNACHT 3 OSPREYS 16

Tommy Bowe scored the only try of the match on his competitive debut with the Ospreys as the Welsh region began the 2008/9 campaign confidently.

It took just four mintues for James Hook to slot the first points of the season with a penalty goal. He finsihed the match scoring with a penalty after 72 minutes, and in between scored a three-pointer on 27 minutes and converted Bowe's 19th minute score

The Wales man may have missed two kicks in the first half, but with the score at 13-0 at the interval the match was already won and the Welsh team took thier feet from the gas in the second half as a raft of substitutions broke the flow of the match.

In the end it was a comfortable win for EDF cup winners, the result leaving Connacht pointless from their first league outing.


Ospreys coach Sean Holley said his side were worthy winners. "The conditions were atrocious, so it was all about being focused, accurate and solid in defence.

"We got the early lead, but it was important not to concede when we weathered the Connacht storm early in the second half.

"We came through that, grew in confidence and deserved the win."

Connacht Rugby: 15. Fionn Carr   14. Liam Bibo   13. Gavin Duffy   12. Keith Matthews   11. John Hearty   10. Ian Keatley   9. Frank Murphy   1. Brett Wilkinson   2. Sean Cronin   3. Robbie Morris   4. Mike McCarthy   5. Andrew Farley   6. John Muldoon   7. Ray Ofisa Treviranus   8. Colm Rigney  
Replacements: 16. Adrian Flavin   17. Ronan Loughney   18. Andrew Browne   19. Michael Swift   20. Kieran Campbell   21. Troy Nathan   22. Aidan Wynne