Munster soften up Connacht before claiming bonus-point victory

Munster 42 Connacht 20

Munster ended up with six tries and a bonus-point victory, skewed slightly by scoring three in the final eight minutes, although they will rightly claim it to be the legacy of an earlier softening up process and with some justification.

The win was underlined by the aggressive, hard carrying of their pack, brilliantly led by number eight CJ Stander, a deserved man-of-the-match, but in which all eight contributed handsomely. Once the home side figured out how not to transgress at the breakdown, to protect their lineout ball and inject tempo into the game – this didn’t happen until after the interval – the discovered a pathway for success.

Connacht were unlucky with a couple of officiating decisions that turned the match when the game was a contest, but they were beaten by a better team. They did stick to the task for most of the match but injuries and fatigue led to some leg-weary defence in the closing exchanges and they were punished brutally.

Munster were a little narrow and static in the first half but they rectified these shortcomings and as a result, their back five in the pack gave them some great gainlines and quick possession that ultimately led to tries.

Connacht's were gutsy in defeat, especially Matt Healy, who saved a couple of tries and young Conor Finn and Tiernan O'Halloran, while Eoghan Masterson was a standout in their pack, ably supported by Rodney Ah You, Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney and George Naoupu in particular.

The visitors lost Craig Ronaldson prior to the game, succumbing to illness and he was replaced by 22-year-old former Irish underage international Conor Finn with Miah Nikora named in the replacements.

The first half was a mish-mash of endeavour and errors, much of the fare pedestrian in concept, sporadically punctuated by flashes of invention. Munster scored the only try through secondrow Billy Holland, the genesis of which was a five-metre scrum. Stander, exploded off the back and although grounded a metre or two short, the clear-out was first class and Holland was sharp in his pick-up and plunge.

Keatley kicked the conversion and at that point the home side led 7-3 after 12 minutes and there would have been genuine expectation that they would kick on and establish a rhythm. The problem was that they couldn’t establish the continuity required to turn starter plays into sustained pressure that might have guaranteed a few line breaks.

Connacht were competitive at the breakdown and robust in their tackling, although Munster facilitated the visitors by adopting a great deal of one-out carries.

When the home side did inject some pace and tempo, the managed a couple of breaks, the first a chip and chase by Simon Zebo, which was neatly foiled by Healy and the it was Connacht wing that was on hand to thwart Felix Jones in virtually identical circumstances.

Connacht had opened the scoring through a superbly struck penalty from the close to the touchline by Jack Carty but thereafter the outhalf was guilty of some patchy punting that gave possession away too cheaply.

Both teams were competitive on each other’s lineout ball, making a couple of crucial defensive steals, when defending in their respective 22s. The fact that every second breakdown was punctuated by referee Leighton Hodges whistle made for a very staccato opening 40 minutes.

Whatever Munster coach Anthony Foley said at the interval had the desired effect, not initially but it gradually permeated to Munster's patterns. After conceding a scrum penalty, which Carty kicked, to narrow the gap to a single point at 7-6, Munster bludgeoned the visitors into submission initially.

Replacement hooker Duncan Casey forced his way over from close range following some excellent work from the pack; the difference this time, protecting the ball and taking possession at pace. Zebo demonstrated superb hands to take a pass off his bootlaces and ride Darragh Leader's despairing tackle to touch down seven minutes later, Keatley's brace of conversions nudging Munster out to a 21-6 lead.

Connacht responded when Keith Earls failed to hang onto a box kick from John Cooney and Nikora scooped up the loose ball to race 45-metres for a try, which he converted brilliantly from the touchline.

The final eight minutes were bizarre in the sense that the match became a try-fest, Munster scoring three through Andrew Smith, Denis Hurley and Keith Earls, all converted by JJ Hanrahan, while Connacht replied with one from Shane O'Leary that Nikora managed to improve upon.

Munster thoroughly deserved their bonus point victory by dint of their second-half performance; direct, muscular and when freed somewhat pressure-wise on the scoreboard enterprising at the death.

SCORING SEQUENCE – 1 min: Carty penalty, 0-3; 12: Holland try, Keatley conversion, 7-3. Half-time: 7-3. 45: Carty penalty, 7-6. 56: Casey try, Keatley conversion 14-6; 63: Zebo try, Keatley conversion, 21-6; 68: Nikora try, Nikora conversion, 21-13; 72: Smith try, Hanrahan conversion, 28-13; 74: Hurley try, Hanrahan conversion 35-13; 79: O'Leary try, Nikora conversion, 35-20; 80: Earls try, Hanrahan conversion, 42-20.

MUNSTER: F Jones; K Earls, A Smith, D Hurley (capt), S Zebo; I Keatley, D Williams; J Ryan, E Guinazu, S Archer; Donncha O'Callaghan, B Holland; Dave O'Callaghan, T O'Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: D Casey for Guinazu, BJ Botha for Archer (both 52 mins); D Kilcoyne for Ryan (59 mins); J O'Donoghue for Donncha O'Callaghan (64 mins); JJ Hanrahan for Keatley (69 mins); R O'Mahony for Zebo, N Cronin for Williams, P Butler for Stander (all 73 mins).

CONNACHT: T O'Halloran; D Leader, D Poolman, C Finn, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion; D Buckley, T McCartney, R Ah You; M Kearney, A Muldowney; J Muldoon (capt), E Masterson, G Naoupu.

Replacements: E McKeon for Naoupu (52 mins); Naoupu for McKeon (53 mins); J Cooney for Marmion (57 mins); Q Roux for Kearney 58 mins; M Nikora for Carty, R Loughney for Buckley, F Bealham for Ah You (all 64 mins); S O'Leary for Finn (67 mins).

Referee: L Hodges (Wales)