CONNACHT’S HOPES OF sitting at the top table of European rugby have taken a huge blow after a costly home defeat to Munster. Rob Penney’s men left Galway with a bonus point and are back in second place in the RaboDirect Pro12 after taking advantage of numerous errors from their hosts.
Two costly Connacht turnovers left them in a deep, dark pit at half-time against Munster. The hosts were 13-8 down after 30 minutes when Robbie Henshaw gifted Gerhard van den Heever an intercept try. Eoin McKeon then spilled possession after a Paul O’Connell tackle and Munster scrum-half Duncan Williams broke superbly to tee up Denis Hurley. McKeon scored a second half try to give the home fans something to cheer but Munster No.8 Paddy Butler burrowed over from close range in the final 10 minutes to wrap up a handy away win.
The home side, who lost 58-12 to Ulster last weekend, hit the front after 14 minutes when Munster, losing their second line-out in quick succession, went offside at the breakdown. Miah Nikora knocked over the resulting penalty from 40 metres out.
Munster’s response was instantaneous as they worked a nice scrum set-piece on the edge of the Connacht 22. Duncan Williams fed the scrum and spun to receive the ball from CJ Stander on the blindside. He found a sprinting Andrew Conway, who started the move in the centre and away from his left wing. Conway’s angled run was too much for the shuffling Willie Faloon. He jinked his man and veered his run under the posts. Ian Keatley converted but Connacht answered straight back.
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RaboDirect Pro12
RaboDirect Pro12
The scrum provided the attacking platform again, on 23 minutes, as Connacht worked the ball wide quickly after a quick in-and-out. The killer, attacking blow was a cut-out pass from Eoin Griffin to Darragh Leader. Now in space, the fullback found winger Matt Healy in support and the former Lansdowne man slid over for his fourth league try of his conversion.
Nikora missed his conversion so Munster took the lead four minutes later as Keatley slotted over a tricky penalty some 42 metres out and close to the right wing touchline. The out-half stretched that lead on 28 minutes as John Ryan, at tighthead, pincered his man [Ronan Loughney] to earn another penalty.
Connacht had a close call with the TMO as Danie Poolman out-jumped Conway in the righthand corner to dot down but replays showed he had first landed in touch. The crucial blow arrived on 33 minutes as Henshaw’s lazy pop-up pass to Healy was read by van den Heever. He cantered in a simple, unopposed score from 40 metres out and Keatley added the extras.
RaboDirect Pro12
RaboDirect Pro12
Duncan Williams’ show of grubber-kick skill, following McKeon’s spill in the Munster 22, opened up an exposed, pressed Connacht backline. Hurley had the easy task of receiving a pass on the run to dot down his side’s third try.
Pat Lam’s side needed to score first and score early to give them any hope of an unlikely comeback. They crossed the Munster whitewash just after 55 minutes; Nikora tagged on a conversion and penalty. Penney brought on re-enforcements to stem the green tide and was rewarded when Butler steamed over from close range after three 5m line-outs in close succession.
Poolman ran in an intercept late in the piece but no try-scoring bonus point or losing bonus point was possible. It leaves Connacht on 34 points in eighth place, one place out of the European Rugby Champions Cup places. Munster, on the other hand, are well placed for a home semi-final.
Munster scorers
Tries: Conway, van den Heever, Hurley, Butler
Conversions: Keatley [3]
Penalties: Keatley [2]
Connacht scorers
Tries: Healy, McKeon, Poolman
Conversions: Parks
Penalties: Nikora [3]
CONNACHT: Darragh Leader (Dave McSharry); Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Eoin Griffin; Matt Healy, Miah Nikora (Dan Parks), Kieran Marmion (Frank Murphy): Ronan Loughney (Denis Buckley), Jason Harris-Wright (Jack Dinneen), Rodney Ah You (Finlay Bealham); Mick Kearney, Andrew Browne; John Muldoon (captain), Willie Faloon (Conor Gilsenan), Eoin McKeon (Aly Muldowney).
MUNSTER: Denis Hurley (Ronan O’Mahony); Gerhard van den Heever, Johne Murphy, James Downey, Andrew Conway; Ian Keatley (Conor Murray), Duncan Williams (Gerry Hurley); Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley (Quentin MacDonald), John Ryan; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell (Billy Holland); CJ Stander, Sean Dougall (Tommy O’Donnell), Paddy Butler.
Munster on verge of home semi final after bonus point win over Connacht
Connacht 23
Munster 32
CONNACHT’S HOPES OF sitting at the top table of European rugby have taken a huge blow after a costly home defeat to Munster. Rob Penney’s men left Galway with a bonus point and are back in second place in the RaboDirect Pro12 after taking advantage of numerous errors from their hosts.
Two costly Connacht turnovers left them in a deep, dark pit at half-time against Munster. The hosts were 13-8 down after 30 minutes when Robbie Henshaw gifted Gerhard van den Heever an intercept try. Eoin McKeon then spilled possession after a Paul O’Connell tackle and Munster scrum-half Duncan Williams broke superbly to tee up Denis Hurley. McKeon scored a second half try to give the home fans something to cheer but Munster No.8 Paddy Butler burrowed over from close range in the final 10 minutes to wrap up a handy away win.
The home side, who lost 58-12 to Ulster last weekend, hit the front after 14 minutes when Munster, losing their second line-out in quick succession, went offside at the breakdown. Miah Nikora knocked over the resulting penalty from 40 metres out.
Munster’s response was instantaneous as they worked a nice scrum set-piece on the edge of the Connacht 22. Duncan Williams fed the scrum and spun to receive the ball from CJ Stander on the blindside. He found a sprinting Andrew Conway, who started the move in the centre and away from his left wing. Conway’s angled run was too much for the shuffling Willie Faloon. He jinked his man and veered his run under the posts. Ian Keatley converted but Connacht answered straight back.
The scrum provided the attacking platform again, on 23 minutes, as Connacht worked the ball wide quickly after a quick in-and-out. The killer, attacking blow was a cut-out pass from Eoin Griffin to Darragh Leader. Now in space, the fullback found winger Matt Healy in support and the former Lansdowne man slid over for his fourth league try of his conversion.
Nikora missed his conversion so Munster took the lead four minutes later as Keatley slotted over a tricky penalty some 42 metres out and close to the right wing touchline. The out-half stretched that lead on 28 minutes as John Ryan, at tighthead, pincered his man [Ronan Loughney] to earn another penalty.
Connacht had a close call with the TMO as Danie Poolman out-jumped Conway in the righthand corner to dot down but replays showed he had first landed in touch. The crucial blow arrived on 33 minutes as Henshaw’s lazy pop-up pass to Healy was read by van den Heever. He cantered in a simple, unopposed score from 40 metres out and Keatley added the extras.
Duncan Williams’ show of grubber-kick skill, following McKeon’s spill in the Munster 22, opened up an exposed, pressed Connacht backline. Hurley had the easy task of receiving a pass on the run to dot down his side’s third try.
Pat Lam’s side needed to score first and score early to give them any hope of an unlikely comeback. They crossed the Munster whitewash just after 55 minutes; Nikora tagged on a conversion and penalty. Penney brought on re-enforcements to stem the green tide and was rewarded when Butler steamed over from close range after three 5m line-outs in close succession.
Poolman ran in an intercept late in the piece but no try-scoring bonus point or losing bonus point was possible. It leaves Connacht on 34 points in eighth place, one place out of the European Rugby Champions Cup places. Munster, on the other hand, are well placed for a home semi-final.
CONNACHT: Darragh Leader (Dave McSharry); Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Eoin Griffin; Matt Healy, Miah Nikora (Dan Parks), Kieran Marmion (Frank Murphy): Ronan Loughney (Denis Buckley), Jason Harris-Wright (Jack Dinneen), Rodney Ah You (Finlay Bealham); Mick Kearney, Andrew Browne; John Muldoon (captain), Willie Faloon (Conor Gilsenan), Eoin McKeon (Aly Muldowney).
MUNSTER: Denis Hurley (Ronan O’Mahony); Gerhard van den Heever, Johne Murphy, James Downey, Andrew Conway; Ian Keatley (Conor Murray), Duncan Williams (Gerry Hurley); Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley (Quentin MacDonald), John Ryan; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell (Billy Holland); CJ Stander, Sean Dougall (Tommy O’Donnell), Paddy Butler.
Replacements not used: Alan Cotter, BJ Botha.
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