Sport

Munster fail to settle

Munster 17 Cardiff Blues 19: Munster suffered their first loss of the season, to Cardiff Blues, in a match that was as bizarre…

Sat Oct 06 2007 - 01:00

Munster 17 Cardiff Blues 19:Munster suffered their first loss of the season, to Cardiff Blues, in a match that was as bizarre as it was entertaining. In an astonishing first half it was all Cardiff as their intensity and poise had Munster rattled from early on. Slow to recycle the ball, Munster were on the back foot from the seventh minute as Cardiff outhalf Nick Robinson landed a penalty.

Munster's Paul Warwick missed three penalties from kickable positions in that first half and Cardiff took full advantage.

A Robinson garryowen caused consternation in the Munster line and when the ball broke off Shaun Payne it fell for Robinson who booted it forward and Tom James raced clear of Ian Dowling to pick the ball and over he went.

Robinson converted his second penalty and things were rather bleak for Munster at that stage at 11-0.

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But Munster rallied and with two minutes of the half remaining Warwick finally landed a penalty.

Munster attacked again minutes later and Mark Melbourne burrowed over for a try which Warwick converted and Munster turned over trailing by one point.

But Munster's comeback was brief. On the restart it was more of the same as their handling errors increased and Cardiff extended their lead after 44 minutes when the pace of the ball out through their backs had Munster on the back foot as James went over for his second try. Robinson added a penalty eight minutes later and Cardiff led 19-10.

Munster threatened to ruin the party when Niall Ronan got in for a try after 69 minutes, converted by Warwick, as they reduced the gap to just two points. However, Cardiff just about hung on to claim the win.

MUNSTER: S Payne; I Dowling, K Lewis, R Tipoki, A Horgan; P Warwick, T O'Leary; F Pucciariello, D Fogarty, T Buckley, M Melbourne, M O'Driscoll, J Coughlan, N Ronan, A Foley. Replacements: F Sheahan for Fogarty, D Hurley for Pucciariello, A Quinlan for Melbourne (all 50 mins), L Mafi for Lewis (55 mins), J Manning for Horgan (61 mins).

CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair; J Roberts, J Robinson, D Hewitt, T James; N Robinson, R Rees; J Yapp, G Williams, G Powell, B Davies, R Sidoli, S Morgan, R Sowden-Taylor, X Rush. Replacements: D Jones for R Sidoli, B White for Morgan (both 74 mins).

Referee: D Changleng (SRU).