Connacht secured a home draw in the European Challenge Cup with ease after an eight try 50-14 demolition of French side Oyonnax at the Sportsground this afternoon. Winger Niyi Adeolokun scored a first half hat-trick as Kieran Keane's team claimed a deserved bonus point win. Bundee Aki, Tiernan O'Halloran, Matt Healy, Tom Farrell and a penalty try saw Connacht reach the 50-point mark.
Oyonnax, who made 10 changes to their team for the visit to the Sportsground, finished bottom of Pool Five with just one win from six games while Connacht go into the quarter finals as 4th seeds, at least, after 5 wins and a draw in the Pool stages. Connacht could even move up to 3rd seeds if Edinburgh fail to win away to Stade Francais on Saturday night in Pool 4.
Connacht made a stunning start today as Adeolokun scored two tries in the opening three minutes, first racing on to a chip over the top and the winger was back under the posts just minutes later after he gathered a clever offload by O'Halloran. Aki and O'Halloran quickly added their names to the scoreboard as the hosts clinched the bonus point during a dominant opening quarter.
Adeolokun completed his hat-trick in the 31st minute after he had made the initial break into Oyonnax territory before fellow winger Matt Healy celebrated his 100th appearance for Connacht with their sixth try.
Irish internationals Kieran Marmion and Aki were replaced shortly after the restart as Keane took advantage of his side's dominance. Substitute Tom Farrell scored Connacht's seventh try in the 67th minute before the hosts wrapped up an emphatic victory with a late penalty try.
Connacht can now prepare for a return to the Sportsground in the knockout stages, with Cardiff or Gloucester their likely opponents.
Connacht: T O'Halloran; N Adeolokun, E Griffin, B Aki, M Healy; C Ronaldson, K Marmion; P McCabe, D Heffernan, C Carey; U Dillane, Q Roux; E Masterson, N Dawai, J Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: S Delahunt (for D Heffernan, 54), D Coulson (for P McCabe, 69), D Robertson-McCoy (for C Carey, 48), C Gallagher (for N Adeolokun, 72), J Connolly (for N Dawai, 54), C Blade (for K Marmion, 47), T Farrell (for B Aki, 47), C Kelleher (for C Ronaldson, 33)
