Jack Carty breaks Connacht scoring record with big win over Lions

Jack Carty ended Eric Ellwood’s long run with a 43-24 win over the Emirates Lions at the Sportsground.

Elwood scored 1152 points before retiring in 2005, but the mantle passed to Curty, who scored 13 points against South Africa to bring him to a career total of 1159.

The Connacht captain also set up a 35th-minute bonus point try for Tiernan O’Halloran, adding to previous scores from Diarmuid Kilgallen, Shane Delahunt and Kaolin Blade as the Lions trailed 29–17 at half-time.

In the final match of the four-week tour, the Ivan van Rooyen-led team fought back through Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Henco van Wyk, keeping their hopes of getting something out of the clash.

However, Blade went on to score a hat-trick. So Lions captain Marius Lu’s closing try was just a consolation.

Two minutes later, Karty’s pass put Kilgallen outside Jordan Hendrikse and sprinted off the edge of the visitors’ 22. Carty widened the conversion significantly.

Hendrickse and Carty traded penalties before the Lions took the lead in the 11th minute.

As Connaught picked up the pace again, Delahunt linked up with Blade and picked from the close ruck to score. This time, Karty made the conversion successful.

With a decent one-two, Delahunt soon sent in a scrum-half Blade and converted from Karty to break Ellwood’s record.

However, the hosts were hit with a double blow when Van Wyck smashed two tackles to close the gap to 22-17. Delahunt was also dispatched to the Sin Bin for his cynical infringement during the build-up.

However, Carty’s long skip pass sent O’Halloran in to secure a bonus point, leaving an extra from an Athlone player with 12 points in between.

O’Halloran blocked Hendrickse’s kick just two minutes after the restart, and a quick-reacting Blade scored again before Carty converted.

Scoring dried up until Blades sniped from the ruck in the 61st minute, but Lou answered back from a quick tap three minutes later.

Connacht missed the final pass in the second half, but the result came and went as they moved up to 10th place in the BKT United Rugby Championship.