Cardiff Blues got their Magners League campaign back on track with a thumping 58-0 victory over Connacht at the Arms Park.
An incredible burst of five tries in nine minutes just before half-time destroyed hapless Connacht and set Cardiff Blues on the way to their biggest margin of victory in Celtic competition.
This performance, in the last Magners League game for two months, will set the Blues up for the tougher tasks facing them in the EDF and Heineken Cup clashes of the next few weeks. With their foot off the pedal in the second half, the Welsh men missed the opportunity to surpass their 60-14 scoreline against Munster in 2004, but the gallant visitors did not deserve to be totally humiliated.
In fact, the match was evenly contested for much of the first half, although the Blues hinted at what was to follow with a quick penalty which saw centre Jamie Roberts race through a huge gap for the opening try. The Irish had their share of possession at this stage, with lively fly-half Andy Dunne and skipper John Muldoon prominent, but the Blues produced some superb handling, with Roberts again featuring, before Rhys Thomas and Maama Molitika put Ceri Sweeney under the posts.
Full-back Leigh Halfpenny then raced in for two tries in as many minutes, the first following individual brilliance by scrum-half Jason Spice, the second the result of two Connacht players waiting for a Spice kick to bounce only to see it shoot back into Blues hands.
The last thing Connacht needed was to lose number eight Colm Rigney to a yellow card, and in a brief spell remaining before the interval, the rampant Welsh region crossed for more touchdowns for Rhys Thomas' namesake Gareth and Tongan flanker Molitika.
The second half brought no relief for Connacht, with fly-half Sweeney ripping the ball out of a tackle to trot over and put up the half century, the first time the visitors had conceded so many in a Magners League match. To their credit Connacht kept plugging away but, after an incisive run by full-back Fionn Carr, the final pass was knocked on just short of the line.
And the Blues crossed again in injury time, a beautifully delayed pass by former Wales captain Gareth Thomas sending replacement prop Taufa'ao Filise between the sticks.
Cardiff Blues (46) 58 Connacht (0) 0
Cardiff Blues: Tries: J. Roberts, Sweeney 2, Halfpenny 2, T. Thomas, G. Thomas, Molitika, Filise. Cons: Sweeney 4, N. Robinson. Pens: Sweeney.
Cardiff Blues: Halfpenny, Mustoe, J. Robinson, J. Roberts, G. Thomas, Sweeney, Spice, Yapp, T. Thomas, G. Powell, Jones, Tito, Molitika, Sowden-Taylor, A. Powell.
Replacements: Shanklin for J. Robinson (51), N. Robinson for Sweeney (55), Rees for Spice (35), R. Williams for T. Thomas (40), Filise for G. Powell (62), Rush for Molitika (40), Morgan for A. Powell (42).
Connacht:
Connacht: Carr, Wynne, Hearty, Deane, Roberts, Dunne, Murphy, Lyne, Flavin, Morris, Browne, Swift, J. Muldoon, O'Connor, Rigney.
Replacements: Bibo for Roberts (60), Campbell for Murphy (54), Loughney for Lyne (60), Cronin for Flavin (46).
Not Used: Farley, McCarthy, Keatley.
Att: 7,542
Ref: Carlo Damasco (Italy).