BRITISH AND IRISH CUP Melrose 14 Munster A 47:THREE TRIES in the third quarter effectively earned Munster a win over Melrose in the British and Irish Cup on Saturday, although, not before Melrose took a lead on the half-hour mark.
Munster fielded one club player in their starting line-up, while Melrose included just one “guest” in their starting XV in Fijian international Netani Telai, who secured one of his team’s two tries.
Munster opened the scoring when blindside flanker David O’Callaghan drove over from short range but the home side replied with two tries. Talei drove over first and later lock Garry Elder touched down.
Melrose were 14-7 ahead after half an hour but centre Ivan Dineen went over for Munster in the right corner before their lead increased with scores from Tom Gleeson and Peter Borlase. Kieron Essex got Munster’s sixth try as the Irish side completed the rout.
MUNSTER: S Deasy, D Barnes (S Scanlon 60), T Gleeson, I Dineen (T Smith 47), B Murphy; D Cusak, C Murray (C Sheridan 70); D Ryan, S Henry (D Casey 70), P Borlase, B Holland (Foley 47), Dave Ryan ( S Archer 60), D O'Callaghan, T O'Donnell (Essex 55), P Butler.
MELROSE: Thomson (Shaw 58 min), Anderson, Murray, Helps (Jackson 65), McColl; Wight, Chrystie (McCormack 55); Little, Innes (Ferguson 77), Beavon (Holburn 22), Dodds (Mitchell 65), Elder (Miller 50), Dalziel, Runciman, Talei.
