Connacht 19 - 19 Glasgow: Last-gasp Eddie try snatches draw as Glasgow are forced to fight back

GLASGOW snatched a dramatic draw last night in Galway in the last minute of the game with a try from flanker James Eddie. Colin Gregor pushed the difficult conversion wide which would have given Glasgow victory. Glasgow looked to be cruising to a comfortable win midway through the second half until Connacht launched a fightback which seemed to have been enough to take the win until Eddie's late intervention.

Connacht started the game poorly and were penalised five times by referee James Jones in the first 20 minutes which thwarted any efforts at continuity by either team. Glasgow stand-off Ruaridh Jackson took the chance to kick the only of these penalties that was in his range after 12 minutes to give Glasgow the lead. Jackson and Glasgow then lived dangerously as the 22-year-old stand-off had an attempted clearance punt charged down just 20 metres from his own try line. Glasgow cleared their lines after forcing the turnover and breathed a sigh of relief in what was shaping up to be a tight affair

Home stand-off Ian Keatley levelled the scores with a penalty after Glasgow pushed up too quickly in defence to snuff out a Connacht attack. The 3-3 score-line was about right after the opening quarter as both teams were attempting to play rugby and move the ball wide to their wings. Jackson was varying his game well by using his boot to place the ball behind the Connacht defence for his wings to run onto. On a few occasions, however, his kicks were slightly over cooked and possession was gifted away.

It was Jackson, though, who restored Glasgow's lead with a penalty just inside the half hour mark. In the five minutes before half time Glasgow enjoyed their best concerted attacking spell of the opening period. They set up camp in the Connacht half gaining yards through some powerful forward charges. Just when it looked as though they might get the scoreboard moving again, hooker Dougie Hall was penalised for holding on the ball on the floor. Glasgow went into the break however with a 6 – 3 lead in what was becoming a tense game dominated by the sound of James Jones whistle.

Glasgow had the best possible start to the second half. Jackson's long high place kick was fumbled forward from above his head by Connacht No 8 George Naoupu. Connacht pounced on the loose ball to concede the penalty which Jackson slotted from in front of the posts. From the next movement in the game Connacht conceded their 11th penalty of the match. Jones last his patience and showed the yellow card to second row Michael McCarthy after he infringed on the floor. Jackson was short and wide with the penalty attempt from the half way line.

Glasgow were soon on the attack and Jackson ran the ball from inside his own half towards the left touch line. Home full back Gavin Duffy broke the up the attack on the Connacht 10 metre line. Glasgow recycled the ball and kept the momentum going through centres Peter Horne and Peter Murchie. Van der Merwe took the ball on and despite the attention of several Connacht defenders dove over the line for the try. Jackson missed the conversion wide out on the left touchline.

Glasgow now had breathing space at 14-3 but the lead was soon cut by three points after Keatley punished Glasgow for offside. Mark McMillan was close to putting the game out of reach for Glasgow after he pinched a loose Connacht line-out throw. From the Glasgow ten-metre he powered up field and chipped the last line of defence. Full back Gavin Duffy scrambled back to pick the ball up and prevent the try.

The game now swung Connacht's way and they launched a series of attacks from deep. Ruaridh Jackson broke up one such attack with a big hit on centre Keith Matthews. Glasgow could not stem the tide and with less than ten minutes remaining Duffy cut through the Glasgow defence without a hand being laid on him to touch down for a try. Keatley converted. Keatley then extended Connacht's lead to five points after Callum Forrester was sin binned which could have signalled the end for Glasgow.

Glasgow were not finished, though, and with the last movement of the game flanker James Eddie barged over in the left corner to tie the scores at 19-19. Colin Gregor's conversion from the left touchline was pushed just wide.

Scorers: Connacht: Tries: Duffy. Cons: Keatley. Pens: Keatley 4. Glasgow: Tries: van der Merwe, Eddie. Pens: Jackson 3.

Connacht: Duffy, Nathan, Matthews, Wynne, Carr, Keatley, F. Murphy, Wilkinson, Cronin, Hagan, Swift, McCarthy, Muldoon, O'Connor, Naoupu. Replacements: Morris for Hagan (41), Upton for Swift (58), McComish for O'Connor (62). Not Used: Flavin, O'Loughlin, Nikora, Tuohy.

Glasgow: Stortoni, Shaw, Murchie, Horne, van der Merwe, Jackson, McMillan, Welsh, Hall, Kalman, Barker, Turner, Eddie, Forrester, Vernon. Replacements: Kinloch for Shaw (72), O'Hare for van der Merwe (65), Gregor for Jackson (65), Tkachuk for Kalman (53), Gray for Barker (53). Not Used: Thomson, Fusaro.

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: James Jones (WRFU).