Munster have started the season with three wins from three and lead Guinness PRO14 Conference B after a thrilling bonus-point victory over Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park on Monday night.
Gavin Coombes scored two tries with Kevin O’Byrne, Player of the Match Jack O’Donoghue and JJ Hanrahan also touching down as Ben Healy kicked four conversions and a penalty with JJ converting his own try.
Cardiff made the perfect start and led 7-0 inside the opening two minutes. Having kicked an early penalty to the corner, out-half Jarrod Evans nearly broke through with Rory Scannell just making the tackle but Evans offloaded for Rey Lee-Lo to score.
Evans converted and Cardiff led 7-0.
Munster looked to hit back immediately and Cardiff were down to 14 when Willis Halaholo tripped Dan Goggin after the centre chased his own grubber in behind.
Ben Healy kicked the penalty into the corner and after pounding away at the Blues line, the pressure eventually told as Coombes touched down. Healy converted and the sides were level at 7-7 after seven minutes.
The hosts were on top now with James Cronin and Academy flanker John Hodnett prominent but Healy’s penalty to the corner was overcooked and slack Munster defence then allowed James Botham to make a surge into our half.
Mike Haley made the tackle but Hodnett was penalised for his attempt to poach and Evans kicked Cardiff back in front, 10-7.
Commbes and Hodnett were both held-up over the line as Munster kept knocking on the door and after turning down a number of shots at goal, Coombes eventually scored his second try of the night. Healy’s conversion made it 14-10.
The try came at a cost however as Goggin shipped a knock in the build-up and had to be replaced by Damian de Allende.
Evans’ second penalty reduced the Munster lead to a point after Billy Holland was penalised for a high tackle.
Munster ended the first half strongly and when O’Byrne was tackled too high after collecting Fineen Wycherley’s offload, Healy kicked his first penalty of the night for a 17-13 half-time lead.
It was nip and tuck at the start of the second half but Coombes won a big penalty for Munster on 49 minutes and Healy was unlucky to see his effort strike the post.
A very well executed rolling maul paved the way for O’Byrne to score the third Munster try on 51 minutes after some inventive interlinking between the forwards and the backline earned the scoring opportunity.
Healy’s conversion moved Munster into a 24-13 lead but Cardiff struck back almost immediately as Evans sliced through midfield and released Aled Summerhill for their second try. Evans’ conversion made it 24-20 with the game still in the balance as we entered the final 25 minutes.
A costly Cardiff knock-on from the restart gave Munster prime field position and Johann van Graan’s men were clinical once again with O’Donoghue scoring from close range and Healy converting.
It was Cardiff’s turn to show their resilience as they hit back almost immediately through a Willis Halaholo try with Evans’ conversion making it a four-point game after 63 minutes.
Replacement Hanrahan scored the try of the night after 66 minutes after a fantastic team move. Rhys Marshall, Hanrahan, de Allende, Darren Sweetnam and Scannell all made offloads in the build-up with Hanrahan running in under the posts.
Hanrahan converted his own try and Munster finished strongly with Coombes nearly completing his hat-trick but it was another win for Munster to continue the strong start to the campaign.
Match Programme
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Guinness PRO14 Round 3 Round-Up
Jack O’Donoghue was named Guinness Player of the Match.
Dan Goggin was removed in the first half with a shoulder injury and will undergo a scan.
Academy prop Josh Wycherley made his Munster debut as a replacement with fellow Academy man Ben Healy and John Hodnett starting the clash.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin (inj, Damian de Allende, 29), Rory Scannell, Darren Sweetnam; Ben Healy (JJ Hanrahan, 65), Craig Casey (Nick McCarthy, 73); James Cronin (Josh Wycherley, 68), Kevin O’Byrne (Rhys Marshall, 60), Stephen Archer (Roman Salanoa, 68); Fineen Wycherley (Jean Kleyn, 65), Billy Holland (C); Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett (Chris Cloete, 65), Gavin Coombes.