MAGNERS LEAGUE Glasgow 22 Munster 9: MUNSTER OPENED the defence of their Magners League title with defeat by a lively Glasgow side at Firhill last night in a match that was full of action but short on tries.
The visitors, well below full strength, faced a Glasgow team that contained nearly all its leading players and, in the event, it was the experience of the home pack and guile of their backs that undid Munster.
This looked a tough fixture for Sean Lineen’s men but they were full of confidence after last week’s final warm-up win against Guinness Premiership side Wasps.
However, the victory was based on stoic early defence, as they were forced into massive hits on Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi and Jeremy Manning to keep the line intact.
With seven minutes gone, Glasgow got into a mess behind their line and from the scrum, Munster won the penalty for Manning to open the Munster account.
Glasgow hit back and Thom Evans and Bernie Stortoni sliced through the Munster defence, forcing the penalty which Dan Parks slotted to level the scores.
The home side were getting the better of the Munster pack, with Graeme Morrison carving great holes in the midfield.
The pressure told as Parks goaled two further penalties to extend Glasgow’s lead to 9-3 – only for a final surge by the home pack on a Chris Cusiter break in injury-time to bring penalty number four, which Parks kicked to take Glasgow in 12-3 ahead at half-time.
Glasgow piled the pressure on after the break, rookie prop John Welsh had the crowd roaring with a scorching run down the wing but Munster held out then worked back to Glasgow territory for Manning to kick his second penalty on 55 minutes.
Number three followed seven minutes later, only for Parks to hold his nerve and restore the margin with 12 minutes left with penalty number five.
Eight minutes from the end came the moment the crowd had been waiting for – a try.
Stortoni ran back a loose kick then linked for Morrison to blast through to five yards from the line and he put Ruaridh Jackson, who had been on the field for two minutes, over.
Mark McMillan converted from wide out and Glasgow ran the clock down to collect a huge morale-boosting win.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: B Stortoni; R Dewey, P Murchie, G Morrison, T Evans; D Parks, C Cusiter; J Welsh, D Hall, M Low, T Barker, A Kellock, K Brown, J Barclay, J Beattie. Replacements: K Tkachuk, D Turner, R Vernon, M McMillan, R Jackson, C Shaw.
MUNSTER: F Jones; D Howlett, T Gleeson, L Mafi, D Hurley; J Manning, P Stringer; M Horan, D Fogarty, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, B Holland, N Ronan, D Leamy. Replacements: D Varley, J Brugnaut, T O'Donnell, J Coughlan, T Morland, S Deasy, B Murphy.
Referee: J Jones(WRU)
