Connacht duo Mike McComish and George Naoupu after the final whistle

Connacht secured a home semi-final in the Amlin Challenge Cup by beating Bourgoin in an exciting game in Galway.

Bourgoin led 20-14 with 20 minutes left but nine points from replacement Miah Nikora helped Connacht clinch victory.

Michael Swift's converted try was cancelled out by Tone Kopelani score but a John Muldoon touchdown helped Connacht lead 14-10 at the break.

John Senio's try and five Benjamin Boyet points helped Bourgoin lead 20-14 before Nikora's late nine points.

Nikora, the late hero against Edinburgh in the Magners League last week, showed his coolness under pressure once again.

Michael Bradley's Connacht side faced into a blustery wind in the opening half and Boyet missed two early penalty attempts.

However, Connacht hit the front on the quarter-hour with Swift notching the try after great work by Brett Wilkinson.

Keatley landed the conversion and the Irish province should have notched another try in the 27th minute as lock Mike McCarthy knocked on with the line in his sights.

Bourgoin got on terms when hooker Kopelani burst through the middle of a ruck to crash over with Boyet adding the conversion.

Connacht moved ahead again five minutes before the break as centre Keith Matthews sent Muldoon powering over for a converted score.

Boyet kicked Bourgoin back to 14-10 by half-time and the French side made several changes at the break, including Boyet's switch to full-back.

Indiscipline from Connacht soon allowed Boyet to make it 14-13 and Bourgoin took a deserved lead in the 58th minute when Senio darted through a gap on the edge of the 22 to dot down.

Boyet converted and the game seemed to be slipping from Connacht's grasp as Keatley missed a penalty from distance.

However, with Sean Cronin, Swift, Muldoon and Johnny O'Connor putting in heroic displays, Connacht rose to the challenge.

As scrum-half Frank Murphy looked to pass left from a ruck in front of the Bourgoin posts, Boyet slapped the ball out of his hands and a yellow card was the only option.

Nikora, on for Keatley, landed the resulting penalty and, after Laloo had missed a drop goal, the Connacht replacement rewarded his forwards with the levelling penalty.

The momentum was clearly with Connacht now and, having missed a drop from further out just two minutes earlier, Nikora was right on the money with his 79th-minute drop goal.

Connacht will be involved in the last four of Challenge Cup for the first time since 2005.

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