Munster can't hold on as Glasgow snatch dramatic late win

Glasgow Warriors 28

Munster 25

HEARTBREAK FOR MUNSTER as they went to Glasgow and led for almost the whole game only to surrender it in the final seconds of a dramatic and enthralling contest.

The Scots had done their best to make sure Munster were more than motivated with a lengthy pre-match celebration of their league win over the same opponents a decade ago. Munster took the game straight to them, even seeing off a sin bin for lock Fineen Wycherley in taking an early lead.

Young out-half Tony Butler made the difference with a little chip over the defence to start things off. Some brilliant offloading in the backs took them to the home 22 before Butler’s cross-kick to wing Andrew Smith, who found flanker John Hodnett on his shoulder for the try.

The lead was soon even bigger as more smart handling took play to the home line. Munster were held short but smuggled the ball to the blind side where wing Sean O’Brien had the strength to break the first tackle and reach out to the line.

Munster’s Seán O’Brien. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Glasgow did hit back with scrum-half George Horne starting and finishing the move with support from his captain Kyle Steyn but Munster took the sensible option from their next attack and harvested three points from a Butler penalty to keep them two scores ahead.

Glasgow hit back, a setpiece move from a scrum setting Steyn on a a 50 metre run to the line but it was Munster who went into the break with a narrow lead and the wind advantage to come.

Still, it was their defence that really made the difference when the teams returned with O’Brien back to make a try-saving tackle on Sebastian Cancelliere after quick hands put him clear on a race to the line.

With the wind behind them, Munster were bound to get some sort of breakout and a penalty increased their lead as both sides started to bring on replacements, Butler supplying the points shortly before going off.

Munster were riding their luck as Glasgow made a mess of two penalties, missing touch across the wind and failing to get to the ball as it squirted loose near the visitors’ line but there was no doubting the quality of their defence or their ability to hit on the counter attack – as shown when centre Tom Foley set up O’Brien for his second.

Munster's Alex Nankivell tries to break a tackle. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Glasgow hit back through flanker Matt Fagerson, but it was still Munster in charge as the game went into the final minutes only for the home side to launch a final furious assault on their line, ending with prop Nathan Macbeth forcing his way over to give his side the lead for the first time.

There was still time for Munster to mount a furious last-ditch assault but they couldn’t find another breakthrough and the game ended with the province having to settle for losing bonus point.

Glasgow scorers:

Tries: Horne, Steyn, Fagerson, MacBeth

Cons: Hastings [4]

Munster scorers:

Tries: Hodnett, O’Brien [2]

Cons: Butler, Scannell

Pens: Butler [2]

GLASGOW: K Rowe; S Cancelliere, O Smith (D Weir, 41), S McDowall, K Steyn (C) (B Afshar, 61-71); A Hastings, G Horne; J Bhatti (N McBeth, 48), J Matthews, P Schickerling (S Talakai, 48), J Oguntibeju (G Brown, 41), A Samuel (J du Preez, 61), E Ferrie, S Vialanu (M Fagerson, 41), J Mann.

MUNSTER: B O’Connor; S O’Brien, T Farrell, A Nankivell, A Smith; T Butler (R Scannell, 61), P Patterson (E Coughlan, 53); J Loughman (J Wycherley, 53), D Barron (C), S Archer, F Wycherley (sin bin 10-21), T Ahern, A Kendellen, J Hodnett, (R Quinn, 51) G Coombes.

Referee: M Ferreira (South Africa).