Munster crash out of Europe with Challenge Cup loss to Exeter Chiefs

MUNSTER crashed out of European action this Saturday afternoon with a 31-21 defeat to Exeter Chiefs in their opening game of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

Munster had ended up in the second tier Challenge Cup after a fifth-place finish in their Investec Champions Cup pool - losing three of their four pool fixtures.

This Saturday afternoon, Clayton McMillan's Munster were second best to the English Premiership side, who raced 31-points clear in the opening half. Munster battled gamely in the second half with three tries but all the damage was done in an error-ridden first 40-minutes.

The defeat means no game for Munster next weekend as they bid to refocus for the United Rugby Championship run-in.

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Munster lined out without a host of injured stars - Calvin Nash (concussion), Jean Kleyn (ankle), Diarmuid Barron (concussion), Mike Haley (groin), Oli Jager (foot), Fineen Wycherley (knee) and Brian Gleeson (concussion).

This was a game that saw academy scrum-half Ben O’Donovan make his Munster debut after joining from Canterbury in February. Irish-qualified O’Donovan is a former New Zealand U20 international.

Lying seventh in the league table and bidding to make the top eight for the URC quarter-finals, Munster have four league matches to play - Benetton in Italy on April 18, Ulster in Thomond Park on April 25, Connacht in Galway on May 9 and the last day of the URC season has the Lions in Limerick from South Africa.

Just two weeks after a 45-0 defeat to the Sharks in the URC in South Africa, Munster trailed 31-0 after a sobering opening half.

With the aid of a strong breeze, Exeter ran in four tries - all of which were converted.

There were very early signs of the attacking prowess of the home side with captain Tadhg Beirne, Alex Nankivell and Ben O'Connor making key defensive tackles in the opening minutes.

But the floodgates opened on 13-minutes - Diarmuid Kilgallen and Jack Crowley had made initial tackles but the ball was recycled quickly for Exeter to score their first try through Harvey Skinner.

Seven minutes later, came ty no2 - Henry Slade this time crossing the line after punishing Munster when a Alex Nankivell pass to Crowley went astray.

By the half hour mark, the scoreboard would read 17-0 to the home side after Munster were penalised at the breakdown and Slade scored the resulting penalty.

Another Munster error led to the third Chiefs try - this time it was a Ben O'Connor pass that didn't go to hand and Will Rigg accepted the gift to touch down.

The fourth try of the half came in the dying seconds and was the best of the opening period from Exeter - Immanuel Feyi-Waboso applied the classy finish after a flowing move that involved captain Dafydd Jenkins and Tom Hooper.

So 31-0 to the home side after a forgettable half from Munster.

Munster did apply some early pressure in the second half but without success and by the 10th minute all bar three of the pack were replaced.

Ten minutes into the new half, Munster were rewarded for their pressure when Crowley got in for a try in the left corner - he also added the conversion to get his side onto the scoreboard after 50-minutes - 31-7.

Ten minutes from the end, came a second Munster try - an initial foul on Craig Casey put Munster on the forward foot when they opted to tap and go. Both Edwin Edogbo and Diarmuid Kilgallen went close to crossing the line until at the third attempt Casey fed Beirne to crash over. 

The scoreboard looked a little better now at 31-14 and 71-minutes on the clock.

When Beirne was then sin-binned for a yellow card offence, any lingering hopes of a dramatic fightback appeared to subside.

However, Munster bravely battled on.

And, they were further rewarded five minutes from time with a moment of magic from Crowley, who went alone and pulled off a chip and chase to touch down under the posts.

All of a sudden, Munster trailed by just 10-points but time ran out and the province was left to rue a well below par opening half.

MUNSTER: Ben O’Connor (Sean O'Brien, 71); Thaakir Abrahams, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Ben O'Donovan, 71); Jeremy Loughman (Michael Milne, 48), Lee Barron (Niall Scannell, 48) John Ryan (Michael Ala'alatoa, 48); Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue (Tom Ahern, 70) Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 49), Gavin Coombes (Ruadhan Quinn, 49).

EXETER CHIEFS: Olly Woodburn; Paul Brown-Bampoe, Henry Slade, Will Rigg, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Campbell Ridl, 46); Harvey Skinner, Steve Varney; Scott Sio (Joseph Dweba, 49) Jack Yeandle (Ethan Burger, 49), Jimmy Roots; Dafydd Jenkins, Andrea Zambonin; Tom Hooper, Ross Vintcent, Greg Fisilau. Replacements: Bachuki Tchumbadze, Rus Tuima, Finn Worley-Brady, Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood.