Fionn Carr scored two tries as Connacht battled from behind against the Blues to claim their first win of the new Magners League campaign.
The Welsh visitors had looked to be set for victory as full-back Ben Blair put them 10-0 up early on in Galway.
Winger Carr's double and an Ian Keatley penalty pushed the home side into an eight-point lead.
Two more Blair penalties set up a tense finish but he missed a last-minute penalty chance to win the game.
That left Dai Young's men with a losing bonus point.
They had looked in good shape early on as former All Black Blair touched down after the Blues had spread the ball wide.
Blair added the conversion and also landed a penalty.
Connacht's new fly-half Miah Nikora, a former New Zealand Under-21 international, was replaced by Keatley after missing a couple of straightforward penalty opportunities.
Keatley clawed Connacht back into contention with a penalty just before half-time, and after the break the Irish province produced a telling surge.
Carr did well to collect Gavin Duffy's dinked kick and hack on before touching down.
The Blues were on the back foot and, after a hands-in-the-ruck decision saw Ma'ama Molitika sin-binned, Carr slipped through for his third try in two games.
Keatley's conversion and penalty gave Connacht breathing space as they looked to seal their first win in seven league games.
Cardiff hit back with two penalties from Blair, but a third from further out was off target and Connacht deservedly held on.
Connacht: Duffy, Tuohy, Nathan, Matthews, Carr, Nikora, F. Murphy, Wilkinson, Cronin, Hagan, Browne, Upton, Muldoon, Ofisa, McComish. Replacements: Keatley for Nikora (27), McCarthy for Browne (55), O'Connor for Ofisa (61), Flavin for Cronin (74), Loughney for Hagan (74). Not Used: O'Loughlin, Wynne.
Blues: Blair, Halfpenny, G. Thomas, Roberts, Czekaj, Sweeney, Rees, Yapp, G. Williams, Filise, Davies, Tito, Molitika, Warburton, Rush. Replacements: Evans for Roberts (41), Norton-Knight for Sweeney (61), Jones for Davies (66), A Powell for Rush (66), G Powell for G. Williams (74). Not Used: T Thomas, Cooper.
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