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Munster's Craig Casey scores a try. Craig Watson/INPHO

Munster beat Edinburgh to consolidate Pro14 lead

They did lose a tiny bit of their advantage over Connacht, in second place.

Edinburgh 10
Munster 22

MUNSTER’s march on top spot in their Guinness Pro14 conference, and with it a place in the tournament final, continued in the wind and rain of BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh as the power of their forwards and discipline in the red zone took them through a potentially tricky encounter.

They did lose a tiny bit of their advantage over Connacht, in second place and who have still to travel to Thomson’s Park, in failing to get in for a scoring bonus point but that won’t have worried the players too much despite the frustration of playing nine minutes beyond the 80 minutes without being able to find another killer touch.

The groundwork had been done in the first half as the Munster forwards took a grip on the conflict and refused to let go, giving the Scots a lesson in how to convert pressure into points.

The home side had started brightly enough and were actually the first to get a man over the line, when Andrew Davidson, the lock, was held up, but every threat ran into a brick wall in red shirts, not helped by their own mistakes.

Edinburgh did edge ahead with a penalty from Jaco van der Walt, their fly half, but it was soon cancelled out when JJ Hanrahan landed his first kick for the visitors and when the Irish managed their first serious attack as the game approached the half-hour mark, they were ruthless in making it count.

It took several goes with penalties coming at scrum and lineout, but in the end, Jack O’Donoghue, the flanker, had space to wriggle over for the opening try and a few minutes later, they simply replayed the same set of moves, the only difference being that this time it was Craig Casey, the young scrum half, who darted round the side for the score.

With Hanrahan converting both, Munster had an iron grip on the game and with the weather in their favour, forwards winning all the big collisions as well as the breakdown battle, it looked comfortable for the Irish, only for Edinburgh to force their way back into the match just after the break.

Having failed to get their maul going before the break, they did manage it when the game restarted with Viliame Mata, the No8, crashing over to bring his side back into contention only for normal service to be quickly restored.

Another forward drive set it up with Casey sniping to take Munster close and Gavin Coombes, the No8, finishing it off with his seventh try of the season, leaving the only significant battle whether they could also claim the scoring bonus point.

In the end, Munster failed with Edinburgh shading the final exchanges, but continuing to find it impossible to break the red defensive wall.

Edinburgh: Try: Viliame Mata (46).
Conversion: Jaco van der Walt [1 from 1]
Penalty: Jaco van der Walt [1 from 1]

Munster: Tries: Jack O’Donoghue (29), Craig Casey (37), Gavin Coombes (56)
Conversion: JJ Hanrahan [2 from 3]
Penalty: JJ Hanrahan [1 from 1]

Edinburgh: Damien Hoyland, Jack Blain, Mark Bennett (Matt Currie, 72), Chris Dean, Eroni Sau, Jaco van der Walt, Henry Pyrgos (C) (Charlie Shiel, 58), Pierre Schoeman (Boan Venter, 67), David Cherry (Mike Willemse, 63), Lee-Roy Atalifo (Murray McCallum, 53), Andrew Davidson (Nick Haining, 80+1), Grant Gilchrist, Nick Haining (Magnus Bradbury, 55), Luke Crosbie (Ally Miller, 67), Viliame Mata.

Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende (Rory Scannell, 72), Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan (Ben Healy, 67), Craig Casey (Nick McCarthy, 75); James Cronin (Jeremy Loughman, 65), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne, 67), John Ryan (Stephen Archer, 65), Jean Kleyn (Fineen Wycherley, 65), Billy Holland (C), Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete (Jack O’Sullivan, 65), Gavin Coombes.

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:08 PM

    Good performance that from the whole 23. In fairness Edinburgh didn’t cave in and kept playing in the second half but Munster were just far too dominant up front. Thought the whole front row were excellent and the back row put in a real shift too. I think Kleyn is someone who doesn’t get much credit in or out of the province but he’s really essential to gaining the set piece dominance. He’s an incredibly powerful guy and you can see he loves the tight stuff. He’d be one of my players of the season so far. Casey is going to be a superstar, he may or may not get capped this 6 nations but he’s going to be irelands first choice 9 very soon. There’s not much to say about Coombes other than he should be travelling to Dublin tomorrow. Superb game from him. He’s irelands best BR right now.

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    Mute Darren Mullins
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:11 PM

    @Jim Demps: Ireland don’t pick the form players, they pick players on form five years ago and central contracts !

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    Mute Martin McCarthy
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:15 PM

    @Jim Demps: I agree Jim on Coombes. How he isn’t in that squad is beyond me. Most tackles tonight and most yards. His offloading is very good which is rare for an Irish forward and his workrate is outstanding. Will Connors is a good player for example obviously chop tackling and workrste particularly in defence is very good but Coombes is a better all round player. And I know Connors is a 7 but Van der Flier is there and O Mahony has started 7 numerous times.

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    Mute TL55
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:19 PM

    @Jim Demps: Definitely hard to fathom why Coombes was sent back early. The guy is a beast and a try scoring machine.

    The only thing I was unhappy with tonight was our start in each half. Outside of the first 10 minutes in each half we held them scoreless. I’m probably being greedy!

    Serious physicality from the pack. Gravest to see fellows playing for inclusion when the internationals are back

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    Mute Patrick Breen
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:22 PM

    @TL55: he was sent home for Conan, who had a good game last night, and has buckets more experience

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    Mute Cosmo
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:25 PM

    @Patrick Breen: Conan has been a good servant for us and Ireland but it’s time we start giving younger and better players like Coombes game time.Italy is the perfect opportunity for this.

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    Mute Patrick Breen
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:31 PM

    @Cosmo: he’s 28, so that’s the age where we’re gonna cycle through lads, I think there’s a massive overreaction, why does everyone that’s ever played for Ireland need to be dropped for lads who are putting in 2 or 3 decent performances in red or blue, it’s amazing to me. I’d agree with giving young lads a chance if they deserve it, but I’m not so sure that Coombes does deserve to be in there ahead of Conan. It was a very different reaction from some when there was suggestions to replace POM with Conan, nó mention of youth then, funny that.

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    Mute TL55
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:32 PM

    @Patrick Breen: But far less potential and imo skills. On the skills front Coombes and Doris are on a different level. Ireland needs both quality and grunt from 6&8. I think Coombes supplies both.

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    Mute Patrick Breen
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:38 PM

    @TL55: look he might be a step forward, but having watched him I’m not so sure, I’d be more excited about Doris, so it’s a real pity he’s out long-term, there was a lot of hype around O’Donoghue too, and that died down a lot since, I’d stick with Conan, coz I don’t think it would be hugely beneficial for Coombes anyway, and from a Munster perspective they really need him to try and guarantee a final spot.

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    Mute guineon
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:52 PM

    @Patrick Breen: Conan is a completely different type of player. Watch him at 53 minutes into the game last night, got involved in a carry around midfield in around the front and second rows and he got absolutely smashed back 5m. He is more like o’mahoney in that he’s skillful and good in the wide channels. Doris, Coombes etc are big ball carriers and have much much higher ceilings than Conan

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    Mute TL55
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    Feb 20th 2021, 11:07 PM

    @Patrick Breen: After tonight the final spot is more than likely rapped up. Conan imo is a very slightly poorer edition of Stander whereas Coombes and Doris offer a good bit more.

    If at 28 two international head coaches haven’t made you their first choice in your position then it’s unlikely you’re good enough at that level.

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    Mute Patrick Breen
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    Feb 20th 2021, 11:22 PM

    @TL55: I think Tadhg Beirne would disprove that point

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    Mute Richard James
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    Feb 21st 2021, 5:34 AM

    @Patrick Breen: qu’elle surprise…

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    Mute TL55
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    Feb 21st 2021, 10:17 AM

    @Patrick Breen: Will Beirne be first choice once both Ryan & Henderson are match fit?
    I have my doubts. I’d have no problem playing him at 6 though.

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    Mute Patrick Breen
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    Feb 21st 2021, 12:01 PM

    @TL55: fair point

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    Mute Sam Murray
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:01 PM

    Up the stags, wonderful what happens when you don’t have Mike Catt telling your half backs to kick every 2 phases

    Also thanks to JGP for his service but Casey and Cooney have proved he’s absolutely not needed

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    Mute Patrick Breen
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:04 PM

    @Sam Murray: have they proved Murrays not needed too

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    Mute neil hartnett
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:05 PM

    @Sam Murray: Casey is a class act

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    Mute Sam Murray
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:05 PM

    @Patrick Breen: well let’s axe Murray’s back up first and then we’ll chat ;)

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    Mute David Jackman
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    Feb 20th 2021, 11:25 PM

    I can’t believe, no mention of Jack O Donoghue. He is so consistent and maybe he should get a chance in the Irish set up.

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    Mute PScald
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    Feb 20th 2021, 11:57 PM

    @David Jackman: he has everything.. groundhog, great in open play, excellent in the lineout. A complete Backrow player

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    Mute SomeGuy
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    Feb 21st 2021, 1:16 AM

    @David Jackman: Unfortunately, he’s from the wrong side of the Suir to be considered for the Irish team. In fairness I Leinster, they are a phenomenal team and deserving of all their accolades and plaudits. Their talent conveyor belt too has been second to none in global sport, I would imagine. However, it is disheartening to see Leinster players always get the selection calls at national level. It seems that any marginal call is a definite Leinster choice. Players from other provinces (including former Leinster players) need to be 10% or more better than the Leinster equivalent. Kilcoyne should’ve started the RWC, Coombes shouldn’t have been cut for Conan, how does Deegan have an Irish cap? Cooney and Casey should be ahead of JGP. I’m thrilled H Byrne is in the squad but why not B Healy?

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Feb 21st 2021, 11:07 AM

    @SomeGuy: JOD from the wrong side of the Suir and yet 2 from 3 of the starting irish backrow are from munster? Seriously some of you need help

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 21st 2021, 12:39 PM

    @Chris Mc: it’s a fair assessment that in squad selection if it’s a tight call it’ll probably go to the leinster player. To pretend people are saying there are only leinster players in the squad is just nonsense

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 21st 2021, 2:26 PM

    @David Jackman: motm for me. excellent performance.

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    Mute Luke O Cearnaigh
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:20 PM

    Casey and Coombes were good tonight. Delighted Holland got man of the match. He had a great game and typifies a Munster player. Great to see Conway back as well. Bar the one error, he looked lively.
    I think Stringer made some good comments after the game, especially about Coombes being given free reign in a munster set up and that’s maybe not the case in the Irish set up.

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    Mute neil hartnett
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:02 PM

    Good performance, nasty conditions

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    Mute Mark Sheehan
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:11 PM

    @neil hartnett: performance, nothing else. Mind numbing to watch the amount of needless penalties conceded. The last phase after the injury where they gave away a couple just highlights this.

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    Mute TL55
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:23 PM

    @Mark Sheehan: players were cold and tired at that stage so imo errors understandable and forgivable. Fine line also between winning a turnover and conceding a penalty

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    Mute neil hartnett
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:50 PM

    @Mark Sheehan: thought the ref was harsh, particularly early in the first half against Munster, 3 early penalties were questionable at best

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    Mute Luke O Cearnaigh
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:57 PM

    @Mark Sheehan: It wasn’t that mind numbing, defensive display was very promising. Set piece, both defensively and offensively were very strong. Considering the conditions, penalties happen. Defensive effort was brilliant and took the scores when it counted, so not just the performance.

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    Mute Mark Sheehan
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    Feb 21st 2021, 11:08 AM

    @Luke O Cearnaigh: defensively Munster were sound because they kept putting themselves under pressure by conceding penalties when they got into the Edinburgh 22 and were on the offensive.

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    Mute neil hartnett
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    Feb 20th 2021, 10:03 PM

    Good performance

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    Mute Yhael Ronoc
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    Feb 20th 2021, 11:56 PM

    Anyone been to a match im Thompson Park??? Correction needed

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    Mute David Jackman
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    Feb 21st 2021, 12:12 AM

    @Yhael Ronoc: yes and played there many years ago

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    Mute David Neill
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    Feb 21st 2021, 10:15 AM

    Another great weekend for the provinces… and Irishmen can offload apparently

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