FOLLOWING Cornish Pirates' 50-24 victory over Connacht Eagles at the weekend, the draw has been made for the quarter-finals of the British & Irish Cup.

The Pirates, who finished second in Pool 3 to London Irish and qualify as one of the best three runners-up, have been drawn to play Pool 1 winners Jersey away.

The four matches, to be played on the weekend March 10-12, are as follows; Munster A v Ulster A, London Irish v Yorkshire Carnegie, Jersey Reds v Cornish PIrates, Ealing Trailfinders v Scarlets Premiership Select.

On a Mennaye Field pitch that has surely never ever looked better in the month of January, a total 11 tries were scored between Pirates and Connacht.

The Pirates notched up seven, with wing Alex O’Meara crossing for a hat-trick, and there was credit too to first time visitors Connacht for registering a four-try bonus point.

There were just two changes in the Cornish Pirates starting line-up from the one that won away to Ospreys Premiership Select the previous Saturday, as club captain Chris Morgan returned to skipper the side and prop Paul Andrew made a welcome return from injury.

Starting this game in positive mode, for the Pirates both scrum-half Alex Day and full-back Kyle Moyle went close to scoring. The scrum looked solid, as was determination displayed in the tackle area, and a score did materialise. Flanker John Stevens rocked an Eagles defender back on his heels, and shortly after it was a case of early efforts being rewarded when fly-half Laurence May kicked a penalty.

It was the work typified by man-of-the-match prop Luke Chapman and his fellow forwards that enabled the Pirates to set a position midway through the first half from where a first try of the match would be scored. A dominant scrum earned a penalty, a catch and drive then proved a worthy chosen option, ant it was Captain Morgan who stretched his frame over the whitewash. May’s conversion attempt was also successful from wide out on the right.

Also kicking well out of hand, May soon after fired the ball 70 metres to the scoreboard corner, and holding territory it was a position from where wing O’Meara would cross for the first of his three converted tries. Dancing feet initially concentrated defenders, and then, with eyes focused, in an instant he chose a path to the line.

Never lacking spirit throughout this contest, the Eagles swooped in the shape of full-back Matthew Byrne to quickly open their account with a try scored at the old Western National corner, however the Pirates responded all but immediately when centre Bar Bartlett – who was soon after stretchered off with an injury - strode clear to secure a sought after four-try bonus point. May added the conversion, as he did to O’Meara’s second try which made it 31-5 at the break.

Four minutes into the second half, it was flanker Jake Parker who crossed for a converted score, before the Eagles showed character to respond with their second try through replacement Conor Lowdnes.

Both teams emptied their benches, and the tries still kept coming. For the Pirates, Day scored their penultimate try, and then there was another for Connacht Eagles, dotted down by wing Ed O’Keefe.

Fittingly it was O’Meara’s third try that took the Pirates just two points short of the half century, with replacement Will Cargill’s conversion then achieving the honour.

A late yellow card shown replacement prop Marlen Walker saw him sit time out, perhaps helping the Eagles to have the last fling when rampaging hooker Shane Delahunt scored their fourth try. It was a just reward for their perseverance, but the afternoon’s work for the Pirates was by then complete.

Speaking after the game, Coach Gavin Cattle said: “The result was very pleasing. Our physicality was good, the scrum again dominant, and we were able to provide platforms to express ourselves.

“Credit is also worthy for mention once again to the boys have come into the team and have put their hands up.”

Cornish Pirates: 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Mike Pope, 13 Max Bodilly, 12 Bar Bartlett (Nicolas De Battista 39), 11 Alex O’Meara, 10 Laurence May (Will Cargill 51), 9 Alex Day; 1 Luke Chapman (Marlen Walker 58), 2 Jack Innard (Tom Channon 50), 3 Paul Andrew (Jack Andrew h/t), 4 Josh Caulfield (Brett Beukeboom 58), 5 Chris Morgan (captain), 6 Jake Parker (Luke Chapman 76), 7 John Stevens (Sam Simmonds 44), 8 Dan Lee.

Yellow card: Walker.

Scorers: Cornish Pirates – tries: O’Meara (3), Morgan, Bartlett, Parker, Day; cons: May (5), Cargill; pen: May.

Connacht Eagles – tries: Byrne, Lowdnes, O’Keefe, Delahunt; cons: Codyre (2).

Referee: Matt Turvey (RFU).

St. Austell Brewery’s Man-of-the-Match: Luke Chapman (Cornish Pirates)

Attendance: 1,120

* Bar Bartlett is continuing to recover from his chest wall injury. He went to A&E following the game as a precaution and the Pirates will continue to monitor him this week to determine his return to play date. The club is hopeful that he shouldn’t miss too much game time.