Connacht 36-14 Scarlets: Irish province earn URC bonus-point win in Galway

Connacht scored five tries to secure an 36-14 bonus-point win over Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship.

Tries from Niall Murray and Mack Hansen helped Connacht lead 16-11 at half time with Steff Evans touching down for Scarlets in Galway.

A Jack Aungier try extended Connacht's advantage and a penalty try secured the home side's bonus point before Hansen notched his second try late on.

Connacht move up to 13th spot in the table with the Scarlets now 14th.

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny was a late Scarlets withdrawal before kick-off because of a tight hamstring with meant that Johnny McNicholl switched to full-back with Corey Baldwin drafted on to the wing.

Andy Friend's side got off to a flying start with Connacht second-row Murray charging down a box kick and crashing over within 30 seconds.

Respective fly-halves Sam Costelow and Jack Carty, from distance, popped over penalties before McNicholl's brilliant counter-attack set up Evans to dot down in the corner as the Scarlets drew level at 8-8.

Carty and Costelow added to their respective sides' tally with successful penalties before the hosts capped off a spell of dominance towards the end of first-half with a well-worked move from the back of a scrum which allowed Hansen to apply the finish in the corner.

Despite the loss of number eight Paul Boyle to a yellow card for an illegal dump tackle, Connacht increased their lead after the resumption as replacement prop Aungier burrowed over from close range, with Carty again off target with his conversion.

Replacement fly-half Rhys Patchell cut Connacht's lead to 24-14 with a 60th-minute penalty, but this score was quickly cancelled out by David Hawkshaw's kick before the penalty try conclusively put the game to bed after repeat infringements had led to the yellow carding of Sione Kalamafoni and Dan Thomas.

Hansen capped off the scoring with a well taken try following a clever chip-kick from Carty, who once again missed the conversion in the tricky Galway conditions.

Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran; John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty (capt), Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Niall Murray, Leva Fifita, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle.

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Jarrad Butler, Colm Reilly, Cathal Forde, Alex Wootton.

Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl; Corey Baldwin, Steff Evans, Jonathan Davies (capt), Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Steff Thomas, Ken Owens, Harri O'Connor, Jac Price, Tom Price, Josh Macleod, Dan Thomas, Sione Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias, WillGriff John, Morgan Jones, Iwan Shenton, Dane Blacker, Rhys Patchell, Eddie James.

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

Assistant referees: Morne Ferriera (SARU) & Padraic Reidy (IRFU)

TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)