One Heineken Cup 2005 / 2006 qualifying door has closed for Connacht - and coach Michael Bradley is determined that every effort is made for the last door to be kept open when they travel to Headingley to face Sale Sharks seven points adrift in the Second Leg of their semi-final.
Qualification through the Celtic League went with the defeat at Newport Gwent Dragons at the weekend and winning the European Challenge Cup is now Connacht's sole way into the Heineken Cup.
"We got to the semi-finals last season and this year our stated objective was to get into the Heineken Cup," said Bradley.
"The chance of doing that through the Celtic League ended at the weekend and now our only avenue is through the European Challenge Cup - and I think you will see the boys playing accordingly at Sale."
Connacht will have Paul Warwick and James Downey available for selection this time after injury ruled them out of the First Leg in Galway with Bradley confident they can overturn that seven-point deficit.
"We can do it and qualify for the final - if we play well," said Bradley.
"We are very conscious of the Sale Sharks strengths but now we have seen them at first hand and we are very familiar with their game.
"However, we do have to close down their exceptional back three of Jason Robinson, Steve Hanley and Mark Cueto and keep a close handle on them while matching their power up front.
"We expected everything they threw at us in the First Leg and there were no surprises. The Second Leg should be very similar."