Cardiff were unable to send Matt Sherratt off to Wales camp with a victory as a spirited comeback against Connacht fell short in a 24-19 defeat in Galway.

Cardiff had trailed 19-0 early in the second-half, but scores from Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Donnell and new signing Callum Braley brought Sherratt's side level heading into the final minutes.

However, the Irish province found a winning score minutes from the end as Cardiff had to make do with a losing bonus point.

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For Sherratt, who joins up with Wales on Sunday to take over interim head coach following Warren Gatland's departure, the frustration will be that his side waited until being so far down on the scoreboard before turning things around.

The Blue and Blacks failed to fire a shot in the opening 40 minutes in Galway, as they struggled to escape their own half.

Playing into the wind, they hardly helped themselves by overplaying and kicking poorly. It wouldn't take long for the home side to assert their dominance.

Lively scrum-half Ben Murphy got on the end of an offload to race over for the opening score after seven minutes.

Then, as the home side continued to dominate, Shamus Hurley-Langton forced his way over on 17 minutes.

A try for Dave Heffernan from a driving maul early in the second-half extended the home side's lead.

However, having failed to trouble Connacht, Cardiff eventually did find their way back into the game.

Jacob Beetham and Cameron Winnett both went close before Rey Lee-Lo got Cardiff on the scoreboard, powering through a couple of would-be tacklers on his way to the line.

Then, just after the hour-mark, replacement Ben Donnell went over out wide following Rory Jennings' flat pass.

A flowing attack from a scrum in their own half brought Cardiff to within metres of the Connacht line, with Italy scrum-half Braley sneaking over to score on his debut for the club.

Judging the wind perfectly, Callum Sheedy knocked over the conversion from out wide to draw the two sides level heading into the final 10 minutes.

However, Cardiff handed the hosts attacking position as the clock ticked down - with a powerful driving maul pushing Connacht ahead again as Dylan Tierney-Martin crossed for the bonus-point try.

Despite Cardiff's best efforts, that would prove the winning score.