On a blustery evening at Thomond Park Munster finished Round 2 with a victory over Cardiff.

The home side battled through the first half leaving the score 5-5 after 40 minutes including a Ruadhán Quinn try.

The second half saw a flurry of tries from both teams, with forwards Gavin Coombes and Diarmuid Barron burrowing over for Munster, along with a drop goal from Player of the Match Jack Crowley and an additional five points from his boot.

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After a scrappy start to the game, Munster were the first side that looked close to getting the first points of the match. Jack Crowley gathered his own chip and kicked through the Cardiff defence, which Dan Kelly picked up, getting within touching distance of the line. The TMO reviewed the grounding and ‘no try’ was called. A high tackle in the lead up play on Shane Daly meant Cardiff lock Josh McNally was sent to the bin.

It was Cardiff who got down first, building the phases slowly, drawing in the Munster defence. Callum Sheedy’s quick thinking sent a grubber kick into space ready for Josh Adams to pounce. Sheedy missed the conversion as the ball bounced off the posts. The visitors led after 15 minutes, 0-5.

Munster built good momentum starting with a break from Ben O’Connor and swung the ball from right to left. Slick hands from Thaakir Abrahams followed to send Ruadhán Quinn over the line. Crowley was just wide with the conversion, which brought the scores even after half an hour, 5-5.

Cardiff were rewarded a penalty after Munster were too slow to roll away. Sheedy’s effort was wide missing the opportunity to put his side back in front before the break. The Welsh side looked close to scoring just before half-time, but Gavin Coombes was penalised and sent to the bin.

On the restart Cardiff took no prisoners, within five minutes, they went back in front, making the most of the fourteen-man Munster. Captain Liam Belcher broke away in midfield, with a strong run from Josh Adams, finishing with a superb pass from Sheedy who got the ball to try scorer Tom Bowen. The conversion was missed, the visitors led 5-10.

Coombes returned from the bin providing the extra support as he almost immediately secured try number two from close range. Crowley converted, and Munster re-took the lead after 50 minutes.

Within a ten-minute period both sides scored again. First a world class finish from Bowen, Beetham missed the touchline conversion, followed by a short-range try from Diarmuid Barron, the conversion also going wide.

Crowley slotted a penalty from just in front of the posts, adding three points, and added a further three with a drop goal.

It was Cardiff who had the last dance, as Bowen claimed a hat-trick. Ioan Lloyd missed the conversion and left the score at 23-20.

Round 2 Round up

There were tries from Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes and Diarmuid Barron.

Jack Crowley was the BKT URC Player of the Match

Munster: Ben O’Connor, Shane Daly (Sean O’Brien ’10), Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley (Tony Butler ’78), Ethan Coughlan (Paddy Patterson ’55); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley ’67), Niall Scannell (C) (Diarmuid Barron ’25, Niall Scannell ‘40), Oli Jager (Ronan Foxe ’71); Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley (Brian Gleeson ’60); Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn (Jack O’Donoghue ’55), Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, Ronan Foxe, Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Seán O’Brien.