MUNSTER WILL HEAD into their crucial Champions Cup clashes with Leicester Tigers on the back of successive league defeats after being turned over in Newport.
Anthony Foley’s men never led at a venue where they had won for the past two seasons.
And Dragons finished strongly to secure their third win of the campaign and ensure that Munster left empty-handed, having failed to score in the second-half.
The sides were deadlocked at 6-6 at the end of an opening half where both teams undid a lot of good work with basic errors.
Munster, showing 10 changes from the side which lost to Connacht and with more than an eye on the upcoming Leicester games, created the better scoring chances but were unable to finish them.
Simon Zebo came close to grabbing the opening try after 21 minutes after an initial break from deep by Ronan O’Mahony was taken on by Dave O’Callaghan, who did well to put Zebo away.
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But Dragons winger Tom Prydie nabbed Zebo and he was penalised for a double movement before touching down.
Lucas Amorosino then almost went over in the left corner as Munster stepped up the pace of the game but once more the chance was lost when flanker Nic Cudd did superbly to get a tackle in which forced the Argentine to knock-on over the line.
Then Zebo had to show good defensive skills coming off his wing to deny Dragons full-back Carl Meyer in the left corner.
Rory Scannell, with his brother Niall at hooker becoming the first siblings to start a league game for Munster, cancelled an early penalty from Dorian Jones when he landed one from 22 metres on the right after 22 minutes.
And he did the same just before the break, converting from 35 metres with his left boot to send them level at 6-6.
Dragons started the second-half well and were rewarded for the pressure when Jones landed a good drop goal to put them in front for the third time.
Tyler Bleyendaal, who replaced Rory Scannell, should have tied the sides after 53 minutes with a penalty from 25 metres in front of the posts but he lofted the ball and it missed the target.
Jones missed his first of the afternoon shortly but he put some daylight between the sides with his third penalty after 65 minutes.
They wrapped up the win three minutes from time when South African Rynard Landman got over.
Jones converted and Jason Tovey completed the rout with a penalty in the final play of the game.
Scorers: Dragons — Try: R Landman, conversion: D Jones, penalties: D Jones (3), J Tovey, drop-goal: D Jones. Munster — Penalties: R Scannell (2).
Dragons: Carl Meyer; Tom Prydie, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Ashton Hewitt (Ross Wardle ’79); Dorian Jones (Jason Tovey ’79), Sarel Pretorius (Charlie Davies ’65); Phil Price, Thomas Rhys Thomas (Rhys Buckley ’65), Brok Harris (Lloyd Fairbrother ’72); Matthew Screech (Cory Hill ’71), Rynard Landman; Lewis Evans (Ed Jackson ’51), Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.
Munster: Lucas Amorosino; Ronan O’Mahony (Gerhard van den Heever ’71), David Johnston, Denis Hurley, Simon Zebo; Rory Scannell (Tyler Bleyendaal ’51), Tomas O’Leary (Cathal Sheridan ’65); Dave Kilcoyne (James Cronin ’61), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne ’71), John Ryan (Mario Sagario 65); Dave Foley, Mark Chisholm (Billy Holland ’65); Shane Buckley (Jordan Coghlan ’61), Dave O’Callaghan, Robin Copeland.
Munster's slide continues as they fall to another Pro12 defeat
Dragons 22
Munster 6
MUNSTER WILL HEAD into their crucial Champions Cup clashes with Leicester Tigers on the back of successive league defeats after being turned over in Newport.
Anthony Foley’s men never led at a venue where they had won for the past two seasons.
And Dragons finished strongly to secure their third win of the campaign and ensure that Munster left empty-handed, having failed to score in the second-half.
The sides were deadlocked at 6-6 at the end of an opening half where both teams undid a lot of good work with basic errors.
Munster, showing 10 changes from the side which lost to Connacht and with more than an eye on the upcoming Leicester games, created the better scoring chances but were unable to finish them.
Simon Zebo came close to grabbing the opening try after 21 minutes after an initial break from deep by Ronan O’Mahony was taken on by Dave O’Callaghan, who did well to put Zebo away.
But Dragons winger Tom Prydie nabbed Zebo and he was penalised for a double movement before touching down.
Lucas Amorosino then almost went over in the left corner as Munster stepped up the pace of the game but once more the chance was lost when flanker Nic Cudd did superbly to get a tackle in which forced the Argentine to knock-on over the line.
Then Zebo had to show good defensive skills coming off his wing to deny Dragons full-back Carl Meyer in the left corner.
Rory Scannell, with his brother Niall at hooker becoming the first siblings to start a league game for Munster, cancelled an early penalty from Dorian Jones when he landed one from 22 metres on the right after 22 minutes.
And he did the same just before the break, converting from 35 metres with his left boot to send them level at 6-6.
Dragons started the second-half well and were rewarded for the pressure when Jones landed a good drop goal to put them in front for the third time.
Tyler Bleyendaal, who replaced Rory Scannell, should have tied the sides after 53 minutes with a penalty from 25 metres in front of the posts but he lofted the ball and it missed the target.
Jones missed his first of the afternoon shortly but he put some daylight between the sides with his third penalty after 65 minutes.
They wrapped up the win three minutes from time when South African Rynard Landman got over.
Jones converted and Jason Tovey completed the rout with a penalty in the final play of the game.
Scorers: Dragons — Try: R Landman, conversion: D Jones, penalties: D Jones (3), J Tovey, drop-goal: D Jones. Munster — Penalties: R Scannell (2).
Dragons: Carl Meyer; Tom Prydie, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Ashton Hewitt (Ross Wardle ’79); Dorian Jones (Jason Tovey ’79), Sarel Pretorius (Charlie Davies ’65); Phil Price, Thomas Rhys Thomas (Rhys Buckley ’65), Brok Harris (Lloyd Fairbrother ’72); Matthew Screech (Cory Hill ’71), Rynard Landman; Lewis Evans (Ed Jackson ’51), Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.
Munster: Lucas Amorosino; Ronan O’Mahony (Gerhard van den Heever ’71), David Johnston, Denis Hurley, Simon Zebo; Rory Scannell (Tyler Bleyendaal ’51), Tomas O’Leary (Cathal Sheridan ’65); Dave Kilcoyne (James Cronin ’61), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne ’71), John Ryan (Mario Sagario 65); Dave Foley, Mark Chisholm (Billy Holland ’65); Shane Buckley (Jordan Coghlan ’61), Dave O’Callaghan, Robin Copeland.
Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)
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