Challenge Cup quarter-final: So Grenoble join the growing list of French teams for whom the heights of the Sportsground, overlooked by a grey stone cemetery wall, is a place to remember with a shiver.
It is hard to see how they could have enjoyed any part of this Irish Saturday afternoon. Steadily and gradually they were worn down to insignificance by the intense organisation and aggression with which Connacht boss their own field.
Michael Bradley's side returned to the last four of the European Challenge Cup in almost a casual fashion. This was not an exciting or particularly attractive game but was another noteworthy achievement for Connacht. Nothing, not even the early departure of field general Eric Elwood could distract them from the task of fortifying the five point lead so bravely earned in France. Paul Warwick's sweetly taken drop goal after seven minutes somehow banished fears of a nail-biting denouement and a rather subdued home support of 3,800 customers settled in for a passable afternoon's fare, already talking of the pleasures of Sale, whom Connacht will likely face in April.
Sale were beaten 17-15 at Agen, but won out on aggregate by 14 points.
Afterwards, sipping water and keeping half an eye on the televised Wasps game, Michael Bradley agreed that it was important that Connacht had returned to the high ground of last season. And once again, that path has involved the sacking of three southern French rugby strongholds.
"The thing is, I don't think we could have achieved this last year given the injuries we have been hit with this season so it says a lot about the strength of our squad. It was a very important game because it would have been a terrible thing for us to exit the competition at this point in terms of profile. It brings us around to the semi-final in April, so it puts a different reflection on our season."
Elwood left the field after just nine minutes, crashing into Grenoble's John Cudmore and suffering a dead leg. Warwick assumed the outhalf role, with Conor McPhillips coming on to enjoy a lively afternoon on the right wing.
Not as deliberate or yet as authoritative as Elwood, Warwick runs a bright and compulsively attacking game and began flinging inviting - and sometimes chancy - passes for the three-quarter line. Time after time, they banged holes through the Grenoble line, with Chris Keane, McPhillips and Warwick himself all searing towards the try line.
The pressure told, with Lacey thundering into the corner after 17 minutes to reward a long period of Connacht settlement in the Grenoble 22 and then Michael Swift complementing a great burst and roll by Peter Bracken. Although Warwick, usually accurate, failed to convert either try, such was Connacht's superiority that outhalf David Aucagne elected to tap a penalty late in the half rather than press for a try.
"I thought that was the right decision for them," mused Bradley. "Ten points down at half time - it was manageable and they probably told themselves to come out and look for a big start. We knew that."
It might have happened, McPhillips diving to prevent Bertrand from touching down after just five minutes in a move that began with a fine burst from full back Carmona.
Maybe an early try would have revived the visitors but soon they were lapsing back, with Darren Yapp, Matt Mostyn and James Downey breaking towards clear daylight with a classy exhibition of back play. Shortly afterwards, Warwick penalised Grenoble's stubborn tendency to wander offside with another three points and Dean Richards began to retire his first team, thoughts turning to the home season.
Through it all, the Connacht pack tested and bruised their opponents remorselessly, with Bradley's changes emphasising how comfortable this bunch is.
If there was a disappointment, it was that Connacht's play deteriorated with the drama of the day. Even the return of John O'Sullivan with 20 minutes left could not inspire any element of show time.
Warwick mixed sublime improvised runs and touches with a few poor decisions and a couple of tackles that Connacht simply do not miss - Lison slicing through Jackman and Warwick springs to mind - began to occur. Then replacement Maxime Suarez was sent off after 68 minutes for headbutting one of the Connacht pack.
The home team might have had another try in the closing phase, with Warwick and Yapp both making low, delightful runs from nothing situations to earn late howls of approval.
But 19-3 it stayed and it was, as Bradley noted, exactly the performance the occasion demanded even if the overall quality lapsed at times. Elwood is certain to miss the next couple of games but that is unlikely to alter the sense of satisfaction with which the western province resumes life in the Celtic League.
CONNACHT: M Mostyn; D Yapp (D Flemen 74 mins), P Warwick, J Downey, T Robinson; E Elwood ( C McPhillips 8 mins), C Keane (T Tierney 68 mins); R Hogan, B Jackman ( Fogarty 69 mins), P Bracken ( A Clare 52 mins); C Short, A Farley ( P Myburgh 80 mins), M Swift ( J O'Sullivan 60 mins), J Muldoon, M Lacey.
GRENOBLE: N Carmona; P Negre-Gauthier, D Lison, S Hufanga, J Bertrand; D Aucagne (M Suarez 61 mins), A Nicoud (J Authier 62 mins); S Rondinelli (S Petit 55 mins), J Martin-Culet, R Martinez; A Fakaongo (P Laurent 58 mins), K Ghezal, G Olliver (F Faure 57 mins), J Cudmore, J Puricelli.
Referee: H Watkins (Wales).
