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Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Connacht finish disappointing season on high note with victory in Parma
URC: Zebre Parma 12 Connacht 22 Connacht concluded an underwhelming United Rugby Championship campaign with a 22-12 victory over Zebre in Parma. Captain Cian Prendergast and wing Shayne Bolton claimed first-half tries to put the visitors on course for a first win in six URC games. Zebre flanker Bautista Stavile crossed and outhalf Giovanni Montemauri added the extras to leave the Italian hosts 12-7 down at the break. Backrower Shamus Hurley-Langton went over with an hour played to stretch Connacht's lead, with JJ Hanrahan adding the second of his successful conversions. READ MORE A score from Zebre fullback Jacopo Trulla and a yellow card for Connacht's replacement scrumhalf Matthew Devine set up a tense finale. Outhalf Hanrahan slotted a late penalty to help the visitors over the line and claim a 13th-placed finish.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Connacht finish season with victory away to Zebre
United Rugby Championship: Zebre v ConnachtZebre (7) 12 Tries: Stavile. Trulla Con: MontemauriConnacht (12) 22 Tries: Prendergast, Bolton, Hurley-Langton Cons: Hanrahan 2 Pen: Hanrahan Connacht ended their season with a 22-12 United Rugby Championship win over Zebre at Stadio Serge Lanfranchi on result saw the Irish province move above Ulster to finish 13th in the URC table, while Zebre ended the campaign was a first win in six URC games for from captain Cian Prendergast and wing Shayne Bolton helped Connacht to a 12-0 lead, JJ Hanrahan converting both scores.A Bautista Stavile touchdown two minutes from the break reduced the hosts' deficit, Giovanni Montemauri adding the row Shamus Hurley-Langton crossed midway through the second half, Hanrahan again contributing the extra two Jacopo Trulla scored the home side's second try with Montemauri's conversion reducing Zebre's deficit to 10 points.A yellow card for Connacht's replacement scrum-half Matthew Devine set up a tense finish but fly-half Hanrahan slotted a late penalty to help his side over the line. Zebre: Trulla, Gregory, Paea, Mazza, S Gesi, Montemauri, Fusco, Fischetti, Bigi, Hasa, Canali, Krumov, Ruggeri, Stavile Bravin, Di Bartolomeo, Buonfiglio, Pitinari, Volpi, Ferrari, Garcia, Morisi, Cordero, Bolton, Hawkshaw, Aki, Treacy, Hanrahan, B Murphy, Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, J Murphy, Joyce, Prendergast, Hurley-Langton, de Buitlear, Duggan, Aungier, D. Murray, Jansen, Devine, Forde, O' Hollie Davidson (SRU)
RTÉ News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Connacht's play-off hopes ended after Edinburgh loss
Connacht's slim BKT URC play-off hopes were ended as they lost 31-21 to Edinburgh at the Dexcom Stadium. Needing two wins and for other results to go their way, Cullie Tucker's side are now mathematically out of contention, and they will play Challenge Cup rugby for the second year in a row next season. This was the team's 12th defeat of a disappointing season, during which they parted company with head coach Pete Wilkins. The visitors, who moved to ninth in the table and still with their own play-off hopes, scored twice in the opening half, with Lions prop Pierre Schoeman barging over for an early try. Soon after Connacht captain Cian Prendergast (above) had a try chalked off for obstruction following a late TMO intervention, Scotland flanker Hamish Watson sprinted down the wing for a second try on 27 minutes with Ross Thompson adding the conversion. Finn Treacy got Connacht on the scoresheet two minutes into the second half after Shayne Bolton burst up the middle to create space out wide, with JJ Hanrahan adding the conversion. The flying winger scored his second ten minutes later, running a perfect line close to a ruck on the 22 and taking a pop pass off scrum-half Ben Murphy before running in under the posts, the conversion squaring up the game. However, Connacht were made to pay for the concession of three penalties in quick succession with Edinburgh flanker Ben Muncaster crashing over after a lineout maul. But the momentum was to swing again when out-half Thompson missed touch from a penalty and Connacht took advantage moments later with Bolton diving in at the corner. Hanrahan, alongside Conor Oliver and Santiago Cordero making their final home appearances for the club, converted from the sideline to level proceedings again. Connacht twice went close to scoring a fourth before replacement scrum-half Charlie Shiel took advantage of poor defending at a ruck 10 metres inside his own half to race in under the posts. Former Munster out-half Ben Healy converted and added a late penalty to deny Connacht, who face Zebre away next weekend, even the consolation of a losing bonus point. SCORERS Connacht Tries: Treacy (2) Bolton Cons: Hanrahan (3) Edinburgh Tries: Schoeman, Watson, Muncaster, Shiel Cons: Thompson (3), Healy Pen: Healy Connacht: Santiago Cordero; Shayne Bolton, Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy; JJ Hanrahan, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Josh Murphy, Darragh Murray; Cian Prendergast (capt), Conor Oliver, . Sean Jansen. Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin (for Heffernan 63), Peter Dooley (Buckley 63), Jack Aungier (Bealham 63), Oisín Dowling (Murray 54-72 (hia)), Paul Boyle (Jansen 54), Caolin Blade (Murphy 67), Cathal Forde, David Hawkshaw (Hugh Gavin h/t). Edinburgh: Wes Goosen; Darcy Graham, Matt Currie, Mosese Tuipulotu, Jack Brown; Ross Thompson, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D'arcy Rae; Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner; Ben Muncaster, Hamish Watson, Magnus Bradbury (capt). Replacements: Paddy Harrison (Ashman 63), Boan Venter (Schoeman 63), Javan Sebastian (Rae 50), Glen Young (Sykes 72), Liam McConnell (Muncaster 74), Charlie Shiel (Price 68), Ben Healy (Thompson 72), Findlay Thomson (Tuipulotu 55).
The Irish Sun
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Cian Prendergast vows Connacht will fight to the finish despite URC playoff hopes fading
CONNACHT captain Cian Prendergast has vowed his side will keep fighting until the very end. That's after their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the 2 Connacht's hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the United Rugby Championship suffered a major blow with defeat to a Lions on Saturday 2 Connacht captain Cian Prendergast says the Westerners will fight until the end But with just five league wins all season, and having failed to pick up even a single point in Ellis Park after settling for two bonus points a week earlier in Cape Town, a frustrating campaign looks increasingly set to fall short. The skipper said: 'I think this tour probably sums up how the season has been for us. "We'll always battle for each other, we'll always battle for the coaching group that's here with us and look, it's just disappointing. read more on rugby 'We didn't show the best side of ourselves and started too slow, the Lions are too good a side to give them that many opportunities. 'We probably weren't smart with the ball. It was like we know in the Highveld, you got to be smart with your energy and look. "That was probably the biggest killer and then we're trying to force things in the second half and that's when they come alive. "They've got electric pace in the backfield and it's too easy for them.' Most read in Rugby Union Interim head coach Cullie Tucker also admitted that they now face a tough climb if they are to rescue a top-half finish. He added: 'The result is a big blow. We were aiming to get four or five points here and then we would be right back in the hunt. Ronan O'Gara bizarrely ends press conference after 23 SECONDS amid La Rochelle's continued poor form "Technically we are still in the running, but we're going to have to rely on other teams now as well,' he said. Tucker and his management team will also have to deal with a mounting injury list when they return to Ireland. While Connacht have had grievances over officiating in some matches this season, they could have few complaints about the result at Ellis Park — although the poor state of the famous stadium's pitch did neither team any favours. For a long spell, it looked like Connacht might fail to score for the first time in three years. But replacement hooker Eoin de Buitléar eventually crossed after one of the few clean moves Connacht managed to put together. The Lions had controlled proceedings from the outset and could have been further ahead than 11-0 at half-time. A series of backline injuries hampered Connacht even more after the break, and the Lions sealed the result with a try from flanker JC Pretorius after both sides had earlier efforts ruled out on review. They capped the win late on when Edwill van der Merwe pounced on a turnover and hacked ahead to score.
Irish Examiner
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Connacht skipper Prendergast vows to fight to the end after disappointing loss
URC: Lions 26 Connacht 7 Connacht skipper Cian Prendergast said they will battle to the final moment after their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the league suffered a massive set-back when they went down to a Lions side on a five-match losing run. They will need maximum points from their remaining games at home to Edinburgh and away to Zebre and hope a series of other results go their way if they are to make it to the knockout stages and into next season's Champions Cup. But with just five league wins all season and failing to get a single point in Ellis Park on Saturday after having to settle for two bonus points a week earlier in Cape Town, a frustrating campaign looks set to come up short. 'I think this tour probably sums up how the season has been for us,' said Prendergast. 'We'll always battle for each other, we'll always battle for the coaching group that's here with us and look, it's just disappointing. 'We didn't show the best side of ourselves and started too slow, the Lions are too good a side to give them that many opportunities. 'We probably weren't smart with the ball. It was like we know in the Highveld, you got to be smart with your energy and look, that was probably the biggest killer and then we're trying to force things in the second half and that's when they come alive, they've got electric pace in the backfield and it's too easy for them.' Interim head coach Cullie Tucker admitted they now face an uphill battle if they are to somehow snatch a top half finish. 'The result is a big blow. We were aiming to get four or five points here and then we would be right back in the hunt. Technically we are still in the running, but we're going to have to rely on other teams now as well,' he said. He and his management will now have to contend with a plethora of injuries as well when they get back to Ireland. They have had grievances with the way several games worked out this season but they could have no complaints about the outcome in Ellis Park, although the dreadful surface at the iconic stadium did neither side any favours. For a time it looked like Connacht would fail to score for the first time in three years but replacement hooker Eoin de Buitléar finished a rare good move that didn't break down. But the Lions had bossed matters from the outset and should have been more than 11-0 in front at the break. A string of backline injuries did little to help Connacht after the break as the Lions pulled away with a try from flanker JC Pretorious as both sides had tires scratched on review, and the Johannesburg side finished on a high after de Buitléar's try when Edwill van der Merwe hacked ahead after a turnover to score. LIONS: Q Horn; R Kriel, H van Wyk (R Jonker 62), B Mills, E van der Merwe; K Wolhuter (L Dobela 70), M van den Berg (N Steyn 56); M Naude (SJ Kotze 67), J Visagie (PJ Botha 67), A Ntlabakanye (RF Schoeman 67); R Schoeman, R Delport (D Landsberg 71); JC Pretorius, R du Plessis, J Cairns (I Esterhuizen 14-41). CONNACHT: P O'Conor (S Cordero half-time); S Bolton, D Hawkshaw, C Forde (C Reilly 67-70), S Jennings; J Carty (H Gavin 46), M Devine; P Dooley (J Duggan 61), D Tierney-Martin (E de Buitléar 61), J Aungier (S Illo 53); J Murphy, J Joyce (O Dowling 61); C Prendergast, C Oliver, S Jansen (P Boyle 14). Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).
