The result was all that mattered - but for the second successive occasion it was a close call as Connacht snatched victory in injury time at the Sportsground.

Admittedly Connacht deserved to notch their second win in their European Shield campaign, but if they had lost, as they were so perilously close to doing, they would have been the makers of their own misfortune.

A combination of complacency and tiredness following their victory over Leinster on Saturday was always going to present the biggest problem, and it very nearly cost them. Yet they should have been so far in front that to concede a try one minute from full time should not have mattered. Instead, they put themselves under incredible pressure.

Ironically their last effort, born out of sheer necessity and urgency, was their best. From the drop-out Connacht retained possession with the forwards driving up the centre of the pitch, and when the ball finally surfaced, scrum-half Conor McGuinness's kick ahead was collected by the on-rushing full back Willie Ruane who dived over in the right corner. The conversion did not matter - it was a one-point victory that did. Eric Elwood, still sidelined with injury, said the match proved a real test of Connacht's mettle.

"We needed to put two games back to back, and particularly this European clash, to prove that last weekend's victory was not a flash in the pan. Tiredness may be a factor, but it is not an excuse."

Having started positively, complacency appeared to set in soon after. Within two minutes Jimmy Duffy had crossed for the first try following some clinical recycling of possession in which Simon Allnutt, Mervyn Murphy, and Barry Gavin featured. Allnutt added the conversion for a 7-0 lead, but Perigeux, with typical French elan, capitalised on Connacht's lack of concentration.

Always dangerous on the counterattack, their pacey backs were quick to take advantage of broken play, and centre Gilles Duclos, with support from hooker Vincent Chamboulive and out-half Jerome Mique, set up right wing Pierre Cheyrou. Scrum-half Phillipe Doussy added the conversion.

Both kickers missed penalty opportunities before the second Perigeaux try came from similar circumstances as the French side showed confidence in running the ball from inside their own 22 before supporting prop Christian Blondy went over for out-half Miquel to convert.

Nigel Carolan's try from a scrum on the Perigeux line narrowed the gap, but before the interval Australian lock Tim Nelson was in support of a fine break from centre Duclos, and the converted try had Connacht two scores down.

However, the home side deserved to reclaim their lead in the second half - although it came slowly - from three Allnutt penalties. Perigeux's spoiling efforts, particularly effective in the lineout, and their propensity to live offside looked to have cost them the match as Connacht held a 2421 lead with seven minutes remaining.

Yet the French once again showed why they had beaten their compatriots, Racing Club, the previous week, and when Miquel latched on to his own kick ahead, which had bounced unkindly for Ruane, and Doussy added the conversion, it looked all over for the home side.

Yet they saved their best until last. The continuity and urgency that has been the hallmark of Connacht's game in the past two seasons won the day again.