Munster’s brave effort ends with penalty miss

Sharks 24, Munster 24 (penalties, 5-4 to Sharks)
SELDOM have we seen a Munster match that had so much to be proud of and yet suffer the cruelty of defeat. Every player in the red shirt gave his all, they fought for every inch of territory in this most physical battle and at the end they lost due to a missed penalty kick that flew past the target by inches. A Calvin Nash try after nine minutes, converted by Jack Crowley, put Munster in front and thanks to a series of heroic defensive work they reached half time after keeping the Sharks to no score.The second half started with the home side dominating matters and they levelled it when Ethan Hooker found a space to race over and Jordan Hendrikse added the extras. The same player put the Sharks 10-7 ahead and when it looked like Munster might roll over they responded when Josh Wycherley, who had just come on, touched down at the other end with Crowley’s kick bring the score to 19-14.

An opportunist try by Diarmuid Kilgallen when a defendedr slipped as he tried to pick up the ball, extended the visitors’ lead to 10-21 but the Sharks again fought back, Aphelele Fassi touching down at the other end and Hendeikse converted to make it 17-21. The physicality was barely within the rules of rugby at that stage and after the Sharks reserve hooker Fez Mbatha grounded the ball and Hendeikse converted, the game was hanging on a string for both sides. Munster were not giving up and on 76 minutes Conor Murray marked his appearance off the bench with a long distance penalty that levelled the tie at 24-24.

Neither side scored in extra time, and watching the penalty ‘five-each shoot-out’ was nail-biting and it was decided in favour of the home side, Munster reserve Rory Scannell’s effort missing the target by a whisker. There must have been a lot of sore bodies in both dressing rooms but it was the Sharks who lifted the roof to advance to the semi-final.

Hollywoodbets Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth (c), Jason Jenkins, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi
Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe
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 (c), Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley,
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 91st league game)
AR 1: Sam Grove White (SRU) AR 2: Morne Ferreira (SARU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)

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