De Allende scores as Munster knock Exeter out of Europe

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Flyhalf Joey Carbery tallied 21 points as Munster beat Exeter Chiefs 26-10 at Thomond Park on Saturday to book their place in the Champions Cup quarterfinals.

Carbery went over for a first-half try, which he converted along with Damian de Allende’s late score, and slotted four penalties over the course of a pulsating Round of 16 second leg.

Exeter battled hard and got over through Sam Maunder and Jacques Vermeulen but were unable to retain the five-point advantage they had built in the first leg as they went down 23-34 on aggregate.

Munster notched the first points of the game on six minutes as Carbery slotted his first penalty, but Exeter hit back with an opening try through Maunder.

The scrumhalf took a penalty quickly and squirmed over the line to ground, with opposite number Conor Murray sin binned for an offence in the build-up in a further blow for Munster.

But the hosts survived the period with 14 men in style, their robust defence holding firm after a second Carbery penalty moved them into the lead on the day.

Carbery then produced the cutting edge for Munster’s first try for the game, dummying brilliantly to slice through the Exeter defence and dot down on 26 minutes, converting his own score to move his side three points clear on aggregate.

Munster retained the advantage heading into the break as flyhalf Joe Simmonds’ penalty effort for Exeter from close to halfway was off target, but the visitors started the second half excellently.

They marched up to the Munster line and No.8 Vermeulen eventually battered his way over on 49 minutes, handing Exeter a two-point lead on aggregate as Simmonds was unable to convert.

Munster kept plugging away as a fascinating tussle edged past 59 minutes, Carbery kicking his third penalty of the game to put his side back in front on aggregate after good work from flanker Peter O’Mahony.

Carbery launched another penalty over the posts with a quarter of an hour play – his fourth successful effort of the day coming from just inside the Exeter half.

Munster would wrap up their victory on 74 minutes as the ball found its way to wing Simon Zebo, who beat his man superbly on the outside and offloaded back inside to centre de Allende, who planted down emphatically.

Carbery’s conversion moved the hosts 11 points clear on aggregate, and they held on to advance to the last eight.

The scorers:

For Munster:
Tries: Carbery, De Allende
Cons: Carbery 2
Pens: Carbery 4

For Exeter:
Tries: Maunder, Vermeulen

Yellow card: Conor Murray (Yellow card, 10)

Teams:

Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Joey Carbery, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jack O’Donoghue, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 John Ryan, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Josh Wycherley.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Thomas Ahern, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ben Healy, 23 Alex Kendellen.

Exeter: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Sam Maunder, 8 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Sam Skinner, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Alec Hepburnbr.
Replacements: 16 Jack Innard, 17 Billy Keast, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Richard Capstick, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Tom Gilbert-Hendrickson, 23 Josh Hodge.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant referees: Thomas Charabas (France), Jonathan Dufort (France)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France)

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