Connacht 43

Zebre 12

By JOHN FALLON at Dexcom Stadium

CONNACHT’S hat-trick hero Chay Mullins said his debut for the province was the stuff of dreams as he ran riot against Zebre in the Challenge Cup on Saturday night.

The Irish Olympics sevens star crowned his senior debut for the province by running in three tries at Dexcom Stadium on a night of celebration for Connacht.

The Bristol native, who is Irish-qualified through grandparents from Meath and Cavan, said this was the chance he was waiting for.

“It was unreal. It’s been my dream in the last couple of years to make my debut for Connacht,” said the 22-year old after their emphatic win.

“Sevens has been a massive servant to me and just being able to make my senior debut is just the start of things to come for me and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season,” said the 22-year-old.

Mullins has had to wait for his opportunity in a side with Irish international Mack Hansen on one wing and Puma Santiago Cordero on the other, but he was quick to play down his lethal finishing as he became the fourth Connacht player to score a hat-trick against Zebre.

“I was just at the end of all the work the boys put in and we had a big focus this week on sticking to the structure in our phase play because it was a bit loose last week, and we weren’t really ourselves. Credit to the boys, we did it better this week.”

Connacht may not be happy competing in Europe’s secondary competition — there was a disappointing crowd of 2,672 —  but it was a night of celebration in Galway with academy players Sean Naughton from Galway and Fiachna Barrett from north Mayo also making their debuts.

Argentine international Cordero also scored his first try in nine appearances on a night when Caolin Blade made his 200th appearance and Paul Boyle notched 100.

“Huge congratulations obviously to those two lads, both are big characters in the squad and I’m just proud of them and happy for the boys with the win,” added Mullins.

Pictured: Connacht’s Caolin Blade is tackled by Simone Gesi of Zebre Parma during Saturday’s European Challenge Cup tie at Dexcom Stadium. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.