THE big names are back, but there was nothing flash about the manner in which these sides shared the points in a turgid struggle at Firhill on a night when, incredibly, all three matches in the Magners League ended in draws.
It was inevitable that both would be somewhat rusty, having made nine changes between them and Glasgow welcoming two new faces, but both have much work to do to uncover smoother, more clinical patterns if they want to find success in this league, and the forthcoming Heineken Cup.
Glasgow had won three of the four meetings in the last two years, but had been well beaten, 38-20, in their last encounter, in May, so this constituted well-earned revenge. However, the opening exchanges threw up the false promise of a real firecracker of a match.
The pace was relentless at the start, Lome Fa’atau’s introduction to Magners League rugby handing Munster an instant penalty when the winger impeded Ian Dowling, Munster’s left wing, going for Dan Parks’ switched kick-off, and David Wallace then passing to Alastair Kellock, the Glasgow lock.
Paul Warwick, the Munster stand-off, claimed the first points with a close-range penalty, and Glasgow then lost Stevie Swindall on a stretcher with what looked like a painful ankle injury. Johnnie Beattie came on, forcing Kelly Brown to shift from No 8 to blindside flanker. But the hosts were level by the 17th minute thanks to a Dan Parks penalty, from a great forwards turnover and break by Andy Henderson.
The mood around Firhill lifted significantly just three minutes later when Fa’atau marked his debut with the game’s first try. It stemmed from a well-placed Parks hoof downfield and superb chasing by Daryl Gibson and Fa’atau, in particular, which caught Brian Carney and Peter Stringer trying to escape their 22. The Samoan wing pounced on the loose ball to dart over.
Glasgow should have scored again but Alastair Kellock took the wrong option with John Barclay outside him on the right and Gibson wasted a chance on the left by passing to a defender. The hosts had an edge to their play which augured well, the lineout supplied good ball and the front row stuck in well against a more formidable Munster unit, but with a distinct lack of cohesion going forward. Parks’ long kicks were the only constant.
Warwick converted one from two more penalties to cut the deficit to two points at the break, but for all the endeavour of the second half the next 40 minutes failed to bring any more inspirational rugby. Parks added a penalty and with Warwick missing a quick chance to reply in kind – the Irishmen were seriously missing Ronan O’Gara – after another strange decision from James Jones, the Welsh referee, and Glasgow began to enjoy more time in possession.
The game rolled into the final quarter still with neither side taking a grip of it; the breakdown melees sapping strength, but attacking play lacking direction, cohesion and conviction in numbers to make any real incision.
There was a sleepiness enveloping Firhill as the final ten minutes approached and it floated into the Glasgow defence. They were caught napping by Rui Tipoki, from a scrum on the right, and he superbly fed his centre partner Lifeimi Mafi, who ran in for an easy try. A poor Warwick conversion attempt left the scores level with ten minutes remaining and Mafi then spent them in the sin-bin after running away with the ball after a penalty had been awarded to Glasgow. Parks went for goal from nearly 50 metres, but his kick faded wide.
Jones’ standing was also falling rapidly, the referee receiving a torrent of boos when he gave a knock-on against Henderson. It was a bad error by Henderson, and he was instantly replaced by Scott Barrow, but the ball went back. Munster switched their goal-kickers, sending Jeremy Manning on for Warwick, but he fluffed his chance to win the game with a penalty from wide on the left.
Parks almost snatched it, moments after being named sponsors’ man of the match, with a cute chip-and-chase, but Mike Collins couldn’t gather his pass and Munster survived. The clock ticked to five minutes of injury-time, Jones infuriating Glasgow fans further, but Manning twice missed drop-goal attempts and eventually the final whistle sounded.
Munster: S Payne; B Carney (K Earls ht), R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; T Buckley (M Horan 29 min), F Sheahan (J Flannery 48 min), J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; A Quinlan, D Wallace, A Foley capt (D Leamy 48 min)
Glasgow Warriors: B Stortoni; L Fa’atau, A Henderson (S Barrow), D Gibson, Thom Evans (H O’Hare); D Parks, C O’Young (S Pinder); E Kalman (M Collins), F Thomson, M Low; A Newman (D Turner), A Kellock capt; S Swindall (J Beattie), J Barclay, K Brown.