Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - A cikin kakar 2011-12 an ga canje-canje da yawa a Connacht. Ga lardin a matsayin cikakke shi ne kakar farko a gasar cin kofin Heineken, babbar gasar rugby ta Turai. Connacht ya cancanci shiga gasar cin kofin Heineken na 2011-12 saboda Leinster ya lashe gasar a kakar da ta gabata, wanda ya ba Ireland ƙarin jirgin ruwa. A halin da ake ciki, tawagar ta rasa wasu manyan 'yan wasa a lokacin wasan farko ta hanyar canja wuri. Daga cikin 'yan wasan da za su bar lardin na farko da aka zaba, Jamie Hagan, ya bar matsayi a bude a kungiyar farawa. Da farko Rodney Ah You ne ya cika wannan wuri. Loughney ya fara buga wasan farko a gasar cin kofin Heineken da ya buga da Harlequins a ranar 10 ga Nuwamba, 2011, ya zo a matsayin mai maye gurbin Wilkinson. Ah You yayi gwagwarmaya tare da sabon matsayinsa a matsayin zaɓi na farko duk da haka, kuma a ranar 10 ga Disamba 2011 Loughney ya fara wasan farko na Heineken Cup, a gida zuwa Gloucester a filin wasa. Loughney ya fara wasanni biyu don tawagar a gasar cin kofin Heineken ciki har da wasan gida da Harlequins, Connacht ta farko da ta lashe gasar. Matsayinsa a matsayin zaɓi na farko ya koma cikin gasar gida, wanda aka sake masa suna "Pro12", kuma Loughney ya buga wasanni 20 daga cikin wasanni 22 a kakar wasan
, farawa sau 15. A watan Maris na 2012, Loughney ya buga wasan sa na 100 ga lardin, ya zama daya daga cikin 'yan wasa mafi ƙanƙanta a tarihin kungiyar don cimma nasarar.