Tries from Cian Hurley, Jake Flannery, Jack Crowley and Alex Kendellen helped Munster A to a 29-22 victory over Ulster A at Energia Park early on Saturday afternoon.
The reduced squad of 19 featured a mix of senior, Academy and National Talent Squad members including four players that travelled to Cardiff on Friday for the province’s Guinness PRO14 encounter.
Paddy Patterson, who was an unused replacement in Munster’s win against the Blues on Friday night, featured from the bench in Donnybrook while travelling extras Alex Kendellen, Diarmuid Barron and Josh Wycherley were also involved with Kendellen starting at 8.
Munster’s Tommy O’Donnell was on hand to provide a summary of today’s action with highlights below.
Match Summary
- Not the best of starts with Munster reduced to 13 men in close succession after two yellow cards are issued. Seán French and Liam Coombes are binned for respective deliberate knock-ons.
- Ulster score the opening try through Conor Rankin and it’s converted by Bill Johnston.
- Munster are restored to the full XV and start mounting pressure on the Ulster defence.
- Cian Hurley scores from close range and with Jack Crowley converting it’s 7-7 after 22 minutes.
- A length of the field score follows with Jake Flannery at the end of it to cross after 28 minutes.
- Jack Crowley adds the extras and the men in red lead 14-7 after the half hour mark.
- Ulster finish out the half with a Bill Johnston penalty to narrow the gap to four points at the break.
- Half-time | 14-10
- Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, Paddy Patterson and Jonathan Wren come on at the beginning of the second half.
- Academy 10 Jack Crowley gets over for his own try after 47 minutes and Munster stretch their lead to 9 points.
- The attacking pressure continues with Alex Kendellen scoring the fourth try after 58 minutes.
- Jake Flannery takes over kicking duties and kicks the conversion to make it 26-10.
- Munster are back to 13 men for the closing stages of the game with no replacements, and Jeremy Loughman is issued with a yellow card. There’s a move to uncontested scrums.
- Ulster capitalise on the numerical advantage and score an unconverted Aaron Sexton try to make it 26-15 with two minutes remaining.
- Conor Rankin gets over for his second try in the 79th minute and Nathan Doak converts to reduce the deficit further.
- With the clock in the red Munster finish out the game with a Jake Flannery penalty.
- Full-time | 29-22
Highlights | Munster A v Ulster A
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