Munster ease qualification worries with good show

Munster 38, Ulster 20

THEY started well but as this game progressed, Ulster were out-played by a very sharp Munster side tonight in Thomond Park. With the home support in good voice they held their visitors scoreless in the second half and they wll now have to wait and see how the other fixtures run out over the week-end.

Ulster struck early with a try from centre Stewart McCloskey converted by Jack Murphy, but Munster prop Michael Milne’s replied with an unconverted try.  Ulster’s second second try,  from Jude Postlethwaite,  followed, but tries from Beirne and Scannell and the accurate kicking of Crowley, eased fears of another defeat. The visitors lost both Scott Wilson and McCloskey to the sin bin but it was Munster who led at the break by 24-20.

The second half was all about Peter O’Mahony, who was playing his last game for Munster in the Limerick venue, reaching high to collect a pin-pointed kick by Jack Crowley to put the icing on the cake of this very important victory. 

Tom Farrell’s second try of the game and O’Mahony’s 17th score of his career ensured a night to remember for the retiring Corkman and Stephen Archer, and departing scrum half Conor Murray. Player-of-the-match Tom Farrell cancelled out a Murphy penalty with his ninth try of the season, profiting from O’Mahony’s neat assist. Alex Nankivell deftly put Farrell over just to the right of the posts, with Crowley’s boot extending the lead to 31-20.

Now it’s a wait for the other fixtures but on this display Munster will surely be figuring in the battle for the last eight spots in Cork next week-end in this exciting URC championship.

Munster: Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey, Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Seán O’Brien, Alex Kendellen
Ulster: Michael Lowry, Rob Baloucoune, Jude Postlethwaite, Stuart McCloskey, Jack Stockdale, Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak, Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Scott Wilson, Iain Henderson (CAPT), Cormac Izuchukwu, Matty Rea, Nick Timoney, James McNabney
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Callum Reid, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, David McCann, Dave Shanahan, Stewart Moore, Werner Kok.

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 44th league game)
AR 1: Andrew Cole (IRFU) AR 2: Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)

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