Connacht resist late fight back from Cheetahs to win 23-15

Connacht 23 - 15 Cheetahs, Galway

Connacht did manage a late resurgence from Cheetahs to bring their Pro 14 campaign back on track with a 23-15 triumph in Galway on Saturday.

Centre Craig Ronaldson started the proceedings for Connacht with a fifth minute penalty and soon Niyi Adeolokun making his first senior start since his surgery crossed over as the home side claimed a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Ronaldson further extended the Irish regional side's lead with a penalty in the 29th minute but at the stroke of half time, Cheetahs got off the mark with a three pointer. At the half-time, Connacht had a lead of 13-3.

The Cheetahs stand-off missed a long-range kick on the resumption, and Connacht were not long in adding to their tally as the wind and rain started to have more of an influence. Excellent hands from man-of-the-match O'Halloran allowed Adeolokun to threaten out wide before the province's forwards took over and hooker McCartney was driven over just to the left of the posts.

A conversion from Jack Carty put Connacht into a position of comfort with a 20-3 lead but back to back tries from Shaun Venter (67') and Makazole Mapimpi (75') did not quite prove enough for the South African side as they succumbed to an eight point defeat.

Connacht have made a rise to the fourth position in Conference A with Cheetahs placed third.