RaboDirect PRO12 match report - Connacht defeat Dragons at Sportsground
Connacht heaped more misery on lowly Newport-Gwent Dragons with a comfortable 30-11 victory on Saturday evening.
Last Updated: 05/01/13 7:34pm
George Naoupu and Danie Poolman touched down after a penalty try and Dan Parks added 15 points with the boot to see Connacht pick up just their fourth RaboDirect PRO12 victory of the season.
Tom Prydie replied with two penalties and Jonathan Evans ran in a late consolation for Dragons, who folded meekly to their fourth successive league defeat and remain second from bottom in the table as a result.
The hosts failed to score a point in their 17-0 defeat to inter-country rivals Leinster last week, but were 6-0 ahead inside eight minutes courtesy of two Parks penalties.
Connacht dominated the forward exchanges and a penalty try midway through the opening half was just reward for the home side's efforts with a second touchdown coming soon after.
Initiated by Dave McSharry, the centre broke through before he fed Naoupu who scampered over. Although Prydie briefly reduced the arrears with two penalties either side of the interval, Connacht went over for their third try in the second period.
Once again McSharry was involved when his pass found Poolman and the winger ran in for his third of the season.
Parks added a drop-goal as the score moved to an insurmountable 30-6 advantage in favour of the hosts with 20 minutes to go.
Dragons replacement Evans went over for Newport late on, but it only slightly eased the pain of yet another defeat.
