Munster Rugby suffer interpro defeat to Connacht in Galway

MUNSTER Rugby fell to their third defeat in four outings in the United Rugby Championship this season when succumbing 20-11 to Connacht in their hard fought interprovincial fixture played in front of an official attendance of 7,200 at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday night.

Munster led the contest 11-5 after 47 minutes and looked in with more than a fighting chance to securing their fourth win in five visits to Galway.

However, the visitors failed to score again through the remaining 33 minutes of the contest as a Finlay Bealham try, followed by a penalty goal from former Munster player and ex-Limerick minor hurler Conor Fitzgerald edged Connacht in front at 12-11 at the start of the final quarter.

The home side, who were winning in the URC for the first time this season, then sealed the success with a late try from Paul Boyle which Fitzgerald converted.

That late seven-pointer ensured Munster missed out on taking event a losing bonus point from the fixture. Next up for Munster, who have now lost three of their last four meetings with Connacht, is a home date against South African side, the Bulls, on October 15 at Thomond Park followed by a trip to Dublin to take on Leinster a week later.

Munster have won just once away from home in any competition since January last, a 24-17 success against Ulster in Belfast in April.

The side has recorded only win over a fellow Irish province in their last five such fixtures.

It was home side Connacht who made the better start on the new impressive synthetic playing surface at the Sportsground.

Connacht, playing their first home fixture of their URC campaign, hit the front in the eighth minute. With penalty advantage, out-half Jack Carty spun a long pinpoint pass out left and winger Mack Hansen fended off a tackle from Munster full-back Joey Carbery before running in to score. 

Carty's conversion came crashing back of an upright and Munster breathed another sigh of relief in the 18th minute when the out-half saw his penalty attempt also hit the upright as the visitors might well have fallen 10 points in arrears.

Mid-way through the opening half Munster had coughed up four penalties. The visitors went on to concede four scrum penalties in the opening 40 minutes. 

However, the visitors hit back with a well-worked try in the 23rd minute. After Munster had won a penalty advantage, Healy spun the ball left and winger Patrick Campbell dotted down in the corner. It was the Young Munster clubman's first try for the province in the URC.

Healy was off target with the conversion. However, he did kick the visitors in front at 8-5 close to half time after prop Dave Kilcoyne made a fine break up the field before off-loading the ball. The ball was recycled quickly and after Connacht infringed referee Busby penalised the home side.

Munster made the brighter start to the second half and Healy's second penalty goal of the game in the 47th minute put them 11-5 in front.

However, that was as good as it got for Munster as Connacht finished the game in the ascendancy, with Finlay Bealham's 53rd minute try kick-starting an upturn in their fortunes.

CONNACHT RUGBY: Conor Fitzgerald, John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen, Jack Carty (Capt) Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Oisín Dowling, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler. Replacements: Grant Stewart, Peter Dooley, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Josh Murphy, Colm Reilly, Tom Daly, Paul Boyle.

MUNSTER RUGBY: Joey Carbery, Conor Phillips, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Patrick Campbell, Ben Healy, Conor Murray, Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Keynan Knox, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Jack O'Donoghue, Peter O'Mahony (Capt), Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Scott Buckley, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Edwin Edogbo, Jack O'Sullivan, Craig Casey, Rory Scannell, Fionn Gibbons.

REFEREE: Chris Busby (IRFU)