Munster A Suffer First Defeat To Strong Ulster Outfit

Munster fell to their first defeat of this season’s IRFU A Interprovincial Championship after Gar Prendergast’s side went down 34-7 to Ulster in Belfast.

It was a free-flowing opening to the game with both teams looking to run with the ball.

With 10 minutes on the clock, Ethan McIlroy opened the scoring as he raced clear after Marcus Rea drew in the last Munster defender before putting McIlroy away with a well timed pass. James Humphreys nailed the conversion to give Ulster a 7-0 lead after 10 minutes.

Five minutes later, Ulster generated another 2v1. This saw Wilhelm de Klerk draw in the last defender before putting Ben Moxham away for the second try. Humphreys’ conversion drifted wide.

On the half hour mark, Munster had a great chance to get back into the game but they were held up over the Ulster line after a 5m tap and go penalty.

As the half wore on, Munster, who were struggling at lineout time, were making inroads at the breakdown with Oisín Minogue and Seán O’Brien among those who made some big physical plays to earn turnovers for the visitors.

At the end of the first half, Munster suffered a blow as after a long period of dominance, Munster couldn’t make make it count on the scoreboard. Instead, Ulster broke quickly, and went over for a try through Eric O’Sullivan with a powerful carry. Humphreys added the extra to give Ulster a 19-0 half-time lead.

Ulster were off to the races just shy of two minutes into the second half as they were awarded a lineout just metres from the Munster try line. Munster chose to not contest as Ulster set a driving maul that was brief halted by the Munster pack. This stoppage allowed hooker Henry Walker to peel off the back and dive over the line.

After four minutes the home side were back in the same position again as they replicated their score from kick off. As the maul drove forward Walker once again broke away and popped the ball off to scrum half David Shanahan who sniped over in the corner bringing the score to 29-0.

Munster were once again close to getting their first points on the board as Sean O’Brien intercepted an Ulster off load deep in his own 22. But the centre was caught just before the line and driven into touch.

A penalty for Ulster allowed them to kick deep into Munster’s red zone. The home side drilled through the phases before Munster showed their strength in defence as they held them up over the line.

Munster showed some brilliance in attack as the clock hit 60. Kilgallen broke the line after an off load from Sean O’Brien. Kilgalen drew the defender before popping to Rory Woods who set up Adam Maher just before the line. But it wasn’t to be as the scum half was bundled into touch.

Sean O’Brien soon kicked Munster back into scoring territory as Ulster were penalised for not rolling away. Winning the lineout on the Ulster 5 metre line the pack sent a maul trundling forward. Ulster put the breaks on allowing Maher to pick the ball from the back and cross over in the corner. Ben O’Connor lined up the touchline conversion sending the ball low and into the wind allowing it to make contact with the crossbar and bounce over.

Ulster fought back in the closing as they sent a grubber kick towards Munster’s line. Munster scrambled in defence before being penalised for playing the ball on the ground allowing Ulster’s Owen O’Kane to tap and go before diving for the line.

It was not to be for Gar Prendergast’s side this afternoon as the game finished 34-7.

Munster A: Ben O’Connor (UCC); Andrew Smith (Young Munster), Seán O’Brien (Nenagh Ormond), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution), Diarmuid Kilgallen (Garryowen); Tony Butler (Young Munster), Paddy Patterson (Cork Constitution); Josh Wycherley (Young Munster), Max Clein (Garryowen), Ronan Foxe (Garryowen); Michael Foy (C) (Cork Constitution), Conor Ryan (UCC); Seán Edogbo (UCC), Oisín Minogue (Shannon), Ruadhán Quinn (Young Munster).

Replacements: Jonathan Byrne (Garryowen), Kieran Ryan (Young Munster), Emmet Calvey (Shannon), Rory Woods (Garryowen), Conor Kennelly (Highfield), Adam Maher (Cork Constitution), Dylan Hicks (Cork Constitution), Fionn Gibbons (Young Munster), Gene O’Leary-Kareem (UCC).