On a windy night in Western Ireland it was the boot that dominated proceedings – Falcons fly half Jonny Wilkinson kicking a perfect three from three, while two penalties, a conversion and a drop goal for opposite number Dunne were enough for the victory as both sides managed just one try each in a bruising and full-blooded encounter.
With the Atlantic gust favouring the white-clad Falcons in the first half, there were promising early signs as Mathew Tait counter-attacked from his own try line and Wilkinson drilled home a penalty from 40 metres for the early lead on ten minutes.
Connacht lock Michael Swift had a try ruled out for a clear obstruction at a close range ruck, while the Falcons too were dealt a blow as skipper Phil Dowson left the field with suspected medial knee ligament damage after just quarter of an hour.
Wilkinson utilised the breeze at his back on a heavy pitch with a 50-metre grubber to claim a territorial gain, and midway through the half the visitors got the try that their early endeavour had merited.
While right wing Tom May was the man to touch down in the right corner, it was opposite wide man John Rudd who set the stage with a barnstorming line break to penetrate the heart of the Connacht midfield. With ruck ball set up on the 22 and the visitors retreating, a deft grubber kick from Toby Flood laid the try on a plate for the onrushing May, who collected the bouncing ball just over the try line to dot down in the corner.
Wilkinson then defied the wind with a sublime touchline conversion in almost impossible kicking conditions to take the lead to ten.
With Dunne missing his second shot at goal from long range Connacht kept themselves in contention as fullback Gavin Duffy countered well, and on the half hour they finally got themselves on the scoreboard as scrum half Conor O'Loughlin embarked on a weaving right to left run to wriggle over the try line.
Dunne added the extras from wide out on the left to narrow the gap to three, and momentum swung even more the way of the hosts in the final throes of the first half as Newcastle hooker Andy Long was dispatched to the sin bin for coming in at the wrong side of the ruck on his own 22.
While a staunch Newcastle defence managed to keep Connacht the correct side of the try line with some gutsy tackling before half time, the start of the second half saw Connacht come in to their own with the breeze at their back.
Utilising the conditions better than their visitors had in the opening 40, the men in green set about a ruthless half of rugby with their pack to the fore, ex-Falcon Mike McCarthy ploughing a furrow down the left wing with a leg-pumping run to make vital inroads.
It was Newcastle, however, who registered the first points of the half, Wilkinson again showing his world class kicking credentials with a near-impossible penalty attempt 40 metres out and against the wind from the left touchline.
The England man made it look easy as he mastered the swirl to bisect the uprights, in a game where his defensive work rate bordered on the phenomenal with a barrage of big hits.
Dunne narrowed the gap back to three just after the hour mark after a controversial call from French referee Eric Maciello, who pinged Jamie Noon for a high shot in midfield, and it could have been more but for some heroic defence from the Falcons as Wilkinson smashed a crash ball runner on his own line to force a vital turnover.
With Newcastle camped in their own 22 and fighting the elements, the scores were levelled on 77 minutes as Dunne slotted in to the pocket from slow ball to send over a well-taken drop goal, setting up a nailbiting finale.
In the end it was to be more away-day heartbreak for the Falcons courtesy of Dunne's injury-time penalty from 15 metres out, just left of the posts, as persistent Connacht pressure forced the visitors to infringe.
A just result in the end given their intense pressure for the whole of the second half, but the Falcons will be out for revenge next Sunday as the Irishmen visit Kingston Park for what is now a decisive rematch.
Connacht:
Tries: O'Loughlin
Cons: Dunne
Pens: Dunne 2
Drop goals: Dunne
Newcastle Falcons:
Tries: May
Cons: Wilkinson
Pens: Wilkinson 2
Connacht:
15 Gavin Duffy
14 Aidan Wynne
13 Darren Yapp (Matt Mostyn, 48)
12 Mel Deane
11 Ofisa Treviranus
10 Andy Dunne
9 Conor O'Loughlin (Conor McPhillips, 66)
1 Brett Wilkinson
2 Adrian Flavin (John Fogarty, 48)
3 Robbie Morris
4 Michael Swift (David Gannon, 59)
5 Andrew Farley (captain)
6 Mike McCarthy (Ray Ofisa, 59)
7 Johnny O'Connor
8 John Muldoon
Newcastle Falcons:
15 Mathew Tait
14 Tom May
13 Jamie Noon
12 Toby Flood
11 John Rudd
10 Jonny Wilkinson
9 Hall Charlton (Lee Dickson, 57)
1 Joe McDonnell Micky Ward, 60)
2 Andy Long (Matt Thompson, 66)
3 Carl Hayman
4 Geoff Parling (Sean Tomes, 70)
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Brent Wilson
7 Ben Woods
8 Phil Dowson (captain, Russell Winter, 14)
Referee: Eric Maciello (France)
Attendance: 4,500
