Sila Puafisi’s mindless head charge brought an automatic red card and cost Glasgow their home semi-final chance as they went down in Galway in their final Guinness PRO12 regular season game.
The prop lost his head early in the second half just as Glasgow appeared to be on their way back into the game they needed to win to play the semi-final in two weeks at Scotstoun.
Instead, they’ll have to return to Galway to face Connacht, who used the man advantage for Tiernan O’Halloran’s winning try with twenty minutes left.
Gordon Reid’s try had tied the score just seven minutes into the second half and with the wind and rain in their favour the Warriors looked well set to go on and win a tight and physical game.
Instead their Tongan tight-head went through home scrum-half Keiran Marmion at a ruck and it was an obvious red card when referee Ian Davies and the TMO watched it back.
Ten minutes later O’Halloran scored Connacht’s second try and the home side held out despite intense pressure from the depleted Warriors in the last 20 minutes.
Playing into the usual strong wind and rain off Galway Bay, Glasgow owned the first 15 minutes but failed to take advantage, in stark contrast to their hosts when they got a chance.
Two big breaks by Leone Nakarawa got in behind Connacht’s smothering rush defence in the first 10 minutes, but Finn Russell missed a penalty chance after the first and Gordon Reid couldn’t hold his stand-off’s pass at the second deep in the Connacht 22.
The loss of Alex Dunbar to injury was a blow to the Warriors, but not as big as Connacht’s first attack on 18 minutes, after Stuart Hogg was caught holding on at a counterattack run.
Connacht kicked the line and drove the lineout, but then suddenly moved it sharply for Aki, an injury doubt during the week, to bash over at the posts, MacGinty converting.
That signalled a real change in momentum and when Russell missed a simple penalty made tough into the swirling wind, Glasgow were somewhat fortunate to stay just 7-0 down at the break.
Former Warrior Aly Muldowney knocked on at close range after another charge by Aki and then scrum-half Marmion broke through only to take the wrong option with the Glasgow defence creaking.
Connacht’s defence was outstanding, pushing the Warriors metres back in contact, but the champions reached the half without any further damage.
With the elements in their favour, Glasgow’s reponse was almost immediate, turning down a kickable penalty, driving a lineout, and Reid sneaking around a ruck to dive over. Russell converted and momentum had shifted in the Warriors’ favour.
But no sooner were they back level than Puafisi’s brainstorm proved crucial, first giving away a needless penalty with a shoulder charge and then leading with the head into Marmion at the next ruck, a red card being the only decision open to referee Davies.
Glasgow defended furiously a man down from repeated forward drives a man down for ten full minutes but replacement Shane O’Leary’s cross kick allowed O’Halloran to leap over Hogg and score, the stand-off adding the conversion.
Glasgow battled manfully for the try that would equalise the scores and get the draw then needed, but Connacht managed to smother their efforts and secure the home draw in two weeks.
Connacht: T O’Halloran; N Adeolokun, R Henshaw, B Aki (P Robb 74), M Healy; A J MacGinty (S O’Leary 54), K Marmion (J Cooney 66); R Loughney (D Heffernan 56), T McCartney, F Bealham (R Ah You 3); U Dillane, A Muldowney; S O’Brien (E McKeon 62), J Heenan, J Muldoon (capt).
Glasgow: S Hogg; T Seymour, A Dunbar (M Bennett 13), P Horne, L Jones (S Lamont 56); F Russell, A Price (G Hart 70); G Reid (J Yanuyanutawa 56), F Brown (P MacArthur 57), S Puafisi; L Nakarawa (T Swinson 78), J Gray (capt); R Harley (Z Fagerson 55), R Wilson (S Favaro 64), J Strauss.
Ref: I Davies (WRU)