Munster Rugby lose ground in URC play-off push after big loss in Galway
Connacht were full value for their 26-7 win over Munster Rugby
MUNSTER will need a win from their final United Rugby Championship regular season after falling to a 26-7 loss to Connacht at the Dexcom Stadium this Saturday evening.
The Red Army welcome South African outfit the Lions to Thomond Park next week and will be hopeful of a much better performance than the one displayed in Galway. Munster were outscored by four tries to one and were beaten in all aspects of the game
Connacht made all the early running with their first incision in attack coming after a brilliant line by loosehead prop Billy Bohan who offloaded to Harry West. A penalty resulted as Munster scrambled in defence and Sam Gilbert kicking to the corner.
Munster's defence continued to wobble and conceded a succession of further penalties. A tap penalty by Dylan Martin-Tierney brought Connacht to within a couple of metres but Sean Jansen was held up over the line.
However, the dam eventually gave way on 12 minutes after patient attack from Connacht opened up a gap for scrum half Ben Murphy on the Munster '22 and he went in unopposed under the posts for the opening try. Gilbert added the conversion to put Connacht 7-0 clear.
Munster's hopes were further dashed five minutes later when hooker Diarmuid Barron was deemed to have made an illegal clear out at a ruck. After consulting with the Television Match Official, referee Peter Martin showed a yellow card to Barron which was soon upgraded to a 20 minute red card.
Connacht soon took advantage with fast hands down the blind side catching the Munster defence out. Gilbert fired a pass to Shayne Bolton and he broke clear of a Thaakir Abrahams tackle to get in for the side's second try and put them 12-0 ahead.
Munster were in clear disarray at this stage but did manage to spend some time in the Connacht half coming up to the half hour mark but and Andrew Smith knock on ended what proved to be a blunt attacking set.
Every error by Clayton McMillan's charges was being punished to the full by Connacht in the first half and that proved to be the case on 34 minutes once again.
A blatant clear out from Michael Ala'alatoa in front of the referee led to a Connacht penalty just outside the Munster '22. Gilbert kicked to within five metres of the Munster line and Shamus Hurley-Langton was the beneficiary after a powerful lineout maul. Gilbert added the extras to give his side a 19-0 half time lead.
Munster came out with renewed vigour at the beginning of the second half and had several darts at the Connacht line in the opening 10 minutes but were repelled on each occasion.
Alex Kendellan believed that he had finally dotted down but the TMO ruled that the man making his 100th Munster appearance had lost control of possession in attempting to touch down.
Despite that early burst in the second half, Munster's malaise from the first half came back to haunt them as a flurry of mistakes continued to blight any hopes of a comeback as the contest hit the hour mark.
Munster did finally get on the scoreboard after a prolonged period of pressure close to the Connacht line. Jack O'Donoghue won a turnover after another attack come to nothing. Several penalties followed for McMillan's men and it was O'Donoghue and Casey combined to see the latter get the try that JJ Hanrahan converted.
Connacht were soon back at the other end of the pitch as Munster failed to get out of their own '22 with Jansen burrowing over for their bonus point try. Gilbert nailed the straightforward conversion to see Connacht go 26-7 in front.
CONNACHT: Sam Gilbert; Shane Jennings, Harry West (Sean Naughton, 50 mins), Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton; Josh Ioane (Jack Carty, 69 mins), Ben Murphy (Matthew Devine, 69 mins); Billy Bohan (Peter Dooley, 48 mins), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Eoin de Buitléar 22 mins), Sam Illo (Finlay Bealham, 48 mins); Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy (55 mins); Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton (Paul Boyle, 62 mins), Sean Jansen.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Thaakir Abrahams (Sean O'Brien, 53 mins), Alex Nankivell, Dan Kelly, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey (Ben O'Donovan, 72 mins); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley, 53 mins), Diarmuid Barron (Kendellan, 37 mins), Michael Ala'alatoa (Conor Bartley, 72 mins); Edwin Edogbo (Jack O’Donoghue, h-t), Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett (Lee Barron, 24 mins), Gavin Coombes (Brian Gleeson, 48 mins).
REFEREE: Peter Martin (IRFU).