Munster 17 London Irish 5
Anthony Foley picked up his first win as Munster coach, but it came at a cost as Cian Bohane was stretchered off late on. Tries from Ronan O’Mahony and Duncan Williams wrapped up the win for Munster at a packed Waterford RSC, but Bohane’s leg injury marred the fine win.
Foley handed debuts to new signings Robin Copeland and Andrew Smith as an improved second-half display saw the home side to a deserved victory.
Coach Anthony Foley spoke on a number of occasions during the week about the importance of his side keeping hold of the ball, and he would have been annoyed with the number of turnovers conceded in the first-half especially.
Both sides were reduced to 14 men 11 minutes before the interval when Munster captain Donncha O’Callaghan and Jebb Sinclair were yellow carded for an off the ball scuffle, and while they were both taking their punishment the game opened up.
The home side hit the first score when CJ Stander sucked in the defence with a huge carry, and Cathal Sheridan took advantage of the overlap and sent O’Mahony over.
Johnny Holland slotted a tricky conversion from the left, but the visitors hit back immediately when Alex Lewington ran onto Tom Fowlie’s one handed pass to score in the right corner.
Myles Dorrian missed the awkward conversion and Munster carried a 7-5 lead into the break, but the turnaround didn’t immediately stop the sloppiness from the home side as they continued to lose possession.
Sean Dougall was denied what looked a certain score on the hour mark, but Williams burrowed over from a yard to give Munster a 14-5 lead.
Luke Narraway became the second London Irish player of the half to pick up a sin-binning on the hour mark after Matt Parr’s earlier yellow, and Munster wrapped up the win when Holland kicked his first penalty of the game 12 minutes from time.
MUNSTER: J Murphy; R O'Mahony, A Smith, C Bohane, D Sweetnam; J Holland, C Sheridan; J Ryan, K O'Byrne, S Archer; D O'Callaghan, B Holland; CJ Sander, S Dougall, R Copeland. Replacements: D Williams for Sheridan (40), BJ Botha for Archer (51), I Dineen for Sweetnam (60), S Buckley for Copeland (61), G Slattery for O'Byrne (62), B O'Mahony for Stander (68), S McCarthy for Dougall (68), R Scannell for Murphy (68), D Johnson for Smith (68), J Madigan for O'Callaghan (75), A Cotter for Ryan (75), J Murphy for Bohane (75), D Casey for Slattery (76).
LONDON IRISH: A Fenby; A Lewington, T Fowlie, G Armitage, W Harries; M Dorrian, T O'Leary; M Parr, D Paice, H Aulika; J Sinclair, N Rouse; K Low, C Gilsenan (T Court 46), L Narraway. Replacements: O Treviranus for Rouse (34), G Ellis for Paice (40), L Halavatau for Aulika (40), T Court for Gilsenan (46-56), D Allinson for O'Leary (53).
Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU).
