Munster end Exeter's Champions Cup hopes
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Flyhalf Joey Carbery kicked all nine points in Munster’s compelling victory over Exeter Chiefs to send the Limerick-based club into the Champions Cup quarterfinals for the 18th time.
The 9-7 success at Thomond Park means the Irish province top Pool Two and are the sole qualifiers from the group. They will be seeded either fourth or fifth depending on Sunday’s results.
The atmosphere inside the stadium was ferocious from the very start and it was Carbery who scored the first points of the evening with a successful penalty kick in the sixth minute.
Exeter Chiefs forced their way back into the contest to score the only try of the match with their trademark line-out maul, with back-rower Don Armand the scorer. Joe Simmonds made his conversion.
Ireland international Carbery then reduced the deficit to 7-6 before the break as Munster’s defence remained resolute, with Man of the Match Tadhg Beirne a stand-out performer.
The second half was as gritty as the first, with both team’s displaying mammoth defensive efforts and ensuring nothing got through.
However, it was Carbery once again, a week on from his 26-point masterclass in Gloucester, who put his side into the lead, after calmly slotting his penalty kick in the 75th minute.
Exeter, now needing two scores to progress from the group, were unable to respond as Munster’s held on for a memorable victory.
MUNSTER FINISH TOP OF POOL 2 💪
Quarter-final qualification for @Munsterrugby as they sneak past @ExeterChiefs in a gritty display at Thomond Park 😳
Moment of the match? #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/uebuZBZZ4s
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 19, 2019
The scorers:
For Munster:
Pens: Carbery 3
For Exeter Chiefs:
Try: Armand
Con: Simmonds
Teams:
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Joey Carbery, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O’Donnell, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 John Ryan, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Billy Holland, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Tyler Bleyendaal, 23 Dan Goggin.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Jack Nowell, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White, 8 Matt Kvesic, 7 Don Armand, 6 Sam Skinner, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Dave Dennis, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Mitch Lees, 20 Sean Lonsdale, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten.
Referee: Jérome Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: Ludovic Cayre (France), Jonathan Dufort (France)
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin (France)
@ChampionsCup
Final Saturday scores 🔢🔢
A decisive day for many sides, but which was the best #ChampionsCup game? 🤩
And which match will you have your eyes glued to tomorrow? 👀 pic.twitter.com/LRalHBwjvL
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 19, 2019
