Yellow cards cost Stormers valuable URC victory in gusty Galway

The Stormers were desperate in defence and came agonisingly close to an all-important away win in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday, but it was Irish club Connacht who emerged 19-17 victors in Galway.

AS IT HAPPENED | Connacht v Stormers

It was a scrappy encounter, with the howling wind a major factor throughout, but coach John Dobson's men will be kicking themselves having manufactured a 17-7 lead going into the final half-hour. 

Two yellow cards for Sergeal Petersen and Ruhan Nel followed, and playing 20 of those final 30 minutes with 14 men is ultimately what cost the visitors.  

The Stormers were on the back foot from early on, dominated in both the territory and possession statistics as Connacht bashed away, but their defence was sound with some heavy hits landed. 

Connacht turned down an early opportunity at three points, opting instead to set up an attacking lineout, but the Stormers maul defence was also up to the task as the turnover was enforced. 

Deon Fourie and Evan Roos, in particular, were immense for the Stormers in that opening period, with the former making some key steals on the ground. 

The Stormers finally got some momentum through their own rolling maul, and they made their first venture into the Connacht 22m area count on 19 minutes when fullback Sergeal Petersen rounded off a move that had been set up by the forwards. 

The Connacht defence had been sucked in with Fourie, Roos and Steven Kitshoff all making charges towards the line, and when the ball went right, the Stormers speedsters were lining up to finish as Petersen did the business. 

The Stormers were managing the game superbly at that point, slowing proceedings down much to the frustration of the Galway crowd. 

Connacht then forced a few