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Connacht make hard work of it but deservedly record a nine-point win over Munster

Connacht defeated their Irish rivals 20-11 at the Sportsground this evening.

CONNACHT 20

MUNSTER 11

CONNACHT HOPE THEIR NEW 4G pitch will be one of the best surfaces in the world. The job now is making sure they have a winning team to play on it.

Tonight they had. Despite making hard work of it โ€“ spurning seven easy points from the kicking tee and potentially three more when they opted to take a tap-and-go rather than a kick at the posts on 73 minutes โ€“ they got the job done.

Theyโ€™ll know who to thank. First their tighthead, Finlay Bealham, who was deservedly named player of the match even if he had competition for that prize. Mack Hansen looked electric on the wing, Oisin Dowling and Gavin Thornbury put in a shift in the engine room, Jack Carty tormented the Munster back three with a series of clever kicks.

And yet, and yet, they nearly blew it. Off the tee, Carty was wayward, missing three from three, missed opportunities that threatened to come back and haunt him. But in the end, their pack fronted up when Carty needed them too, squeezing over for two second half tries, Bealham with the first, Paul Boyle the second, to secure a nine-point win.

For Munster, problems are mounting. Theyโ€™ve won just one from four and while we saw glimpses of their new-look attack, thatโ€™s all we got, a sneak preview rather than a full-length show. They were outclassed out wide, bettered in the scrum, troubled by Connachtโ€™s maul, superior just at the breakdown and the occasions when they got their own maul going.

Where they go from here is a big question. Qualification for the Champions Cup isnโ€™t as easy as it used to be and unless Munster start picking up points, they are going to have some sleepless nights.

As for tonight, well, from their perspective it was a shocker.

Somehow they went into the break 8-5 ahead which needs a bit of explaining because in almost every facet of the play, Connacht were dominant. The scrum, for a start, was a profitable source, Bealham winning two penalties, Denis Buckley a third, allowing Connacht access to the Munster 22.

It paid off, their opening try coming on eight minutes, Bealhamโ€™s fine work at the set-piece followed by a move of supreme quality, Kieran Marmion ensuring there was pace and flow to it, David Hawkshaw making inroads off one phase, Shamus Hurley-Langton getting even closer to the Munster line with another carry.

Suddenly space appeared out wide โ€“ and Carty didnโ€™t waste time exploiting it โ€“ throwing a looping pass left to the touchline where Hansen was waiting to collect and score. Better again, the winger ran across the in-goal area to make the conversion easier for his captain.

mack-hansen-celebrates-scoring-his-sides-first-try-with-teammates Hansen celebrates the opening try. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

But somehow Carty missed it, striking the same post heโ€™d hit nine minutes later from an even kinder angle, thereby denying Connacht the 11-point lead their efforts deserved.

Worse still, by 25 minutes they were pinned back, Munster scoring with their first entry to their 22 โ€“ they the recipients of a favourable penalty decision by ref Chris Busby, which allowed them access to the red zone where their maul clicked into gear, Munsterโ€™s pack marching Connachtโ€™s 15 yards backwards before an intricate passing move between Dan Goggin and Ben Healy ended with Patrick Campbell touching down in the left corner.

There should have been another Connacht try before half-time, Hansen again threatening out wide, but he narrowly failed to connect with his full-back, Conor Fitzgerald, who got his timing slightly off with the line in sight.

And yet despite all the positive aspects to their display, Bealhamโ€™s superb display both in the tight and the loose, Oisin Dowlingโ€™s towering performance at lock, Cartyโ€™s subtle shifts from a passing to kicking game, they trailed at the break, essentially because they failed to take their chances, whereas Munster were much more efficient, Healy scoring a penalty on 39 minutes to make it 8-5.

Soon after the restart it was 11-5, Healyโ€™s 46th minute penalty coming after Munsterโ€™s maul afforded him the opportunity to take a strike at goal.

Key to the turnaround was Bealhamโ€™s 54th minute try โ€“ awarded after a long deliberation by Busby with his TMO โ€“ a score spoiled somewhat by Cartyโ€™s missed conversion.

That prompted a change in kicker, Limerick-born Conor Fitzgerald taking over the duties, and reacting maturely, getting a penalty to put Connacht ahead and then a conversion following Boyleโ€™s 78th minute try to ensure there was at least one Munster man going home happy tonight.

Connacht scorers

Tries: Hansen, Bealham, Boyle

Conversions: Carty (0/2) Fitzgerald (1/1)

Penalties: Carty (0/1) Fitzgerald (1/1)

Munster scorers

Tries: Campbell

Conversions: Healy (0/1)

Penalties: Healy (2/2)

Connacht: Conor Fitzgerald, John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen, Jack Carty (CAPT) Kieran Marmion (rep: Colm Reilly โ€™59), Denis Buckley (rep: Peter Dooley โ€™48), Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham (rep: Jack Aungier โ€™59), Gavin Thornbury, Oisรญn Dowling (rep: Niall Murray โ€™61), Shamus Hurley-Langton (rep: Josh Murphy โ€™51), Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler (rep: Paul Boyle โ€™54)

Replacements nnot used: Grant Stewart, Tom Daly,

Munster: Joey Carbery, Conor Phillips, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin (rep: Rory Scannell โ€™72), Patrick Campbell, Ben Healy (rep: Fionn Gibbons โ€™66), Conor Murray (rep: Craig Casey โ€™59), Dave Kilcoyne (rep: Jeremy Loughman โ€™41), Niall Scannell (rep: Scott Buckley โ€™75), Keynan Knox (rep: Stephen Archer โ€™50), Jean Kleyn (rep: Edwin Edogbo โ€™50), Tadhg Beirne, Jack Oโ€™Donoghue, Peter Oโ€™Mahony (rep: Jack Oโ€™Sullivan โ€™73), Gavin Coombes

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)

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87 Comments
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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
    Favourite Chris Mcdonnell
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    May 18th 2015, 2:32 PM

    Even when on the bench he didnโ€™t get game time. The coach doesnโ€™t like or trust him. Saturday once again showed just how wrong Oโ€™connor has been all season

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    Mute Colin Webber
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    May 18th 2015, 6:24 PM

    Oโ€™Connor is just all wrong for Leinster.

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    Mute Mark Lawlor
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    May 18th 2015, 2:31 PM

    He has a very big chance next season with Leinster during the World Cup, midfield wonโ€™t be as competitive so he should get a good run of matches.

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
    Favourite Chris Mcdonnell
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    May 18th 2015, 6:56 PM

    Mark if Darcy doesnโ€™t make the World Cup squad, heโ€™ll play 12 with tโ€™eo at 13. Then Madigan and sexton will be back so the midfield wonโ€™t be as easy to get into as you may think

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    Mute David Davidson
    Favourite David Davidson
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    May 18th 2015, 4:27 PM

    That pop pass from Oโ€™Brien

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    Mute Irish Underage Rugby
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    May 18th 2015, 2:54 PM

    Battle between him and Madigan for the 12 jersey next season.

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    Mute Cian Walker
    Favourite Cian Walker
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    May 19th 2015, 4:02 AM

    Itโ€™s always to easy to see who coaches โ€˜just like/donโ€™t likeโ€™. When Gopperth played badly it was ignored whereas when Madigan played mediocre or even if Reid played well decisions went against them.

    It creates such a poisonous culture as some players start to feel entitled to spots and others feel it doesnโ€™t matter how well they play they wonโ€™t get picked. Cody and Fergusson were masters at disregarding players identities and judging on match performance alone. MOC is such a stink manager.

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