Munster edge Connacht in Irish arm-wrestle
URC MATCH REPORT: Munster continued their unbeaten start to the season after a nail-biting finish secured a 20-18 victory over Connacht in a keenly contested interprovincial battle.
A quick start from Connacht saw the westerners race into a 6-0 lead thanks to two penalties from Jack Carty.
Munster responded just before half-time thanks to a try from Chris Cloete which was excellently converted by Joey Carbery.
Carbery nudged Munster further in front with a penalty on 48 minutes but tries from Connacht’s Paul Boyle and Jack Carty looked to have secured a win for the visitors.
However, a try on the stroke of full-time from Diarmuid Barron levelled the scoring before Carbery’s conversion sealed a two-point margin of victory.
The scorers
Fore Munster
Tries: Cloete, Barron
Cons: Carbery 2
Pens: Carbery 2
For Connacht
Tries: Boyle, Carty
Con: Carty
Pens: Carty 2
Teams
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Joey Carbery, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 Chris Cloete, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 John Ryan, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Jack O’Donoghue, 21 Neil Cronin, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Dan Goggin.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 John Porch, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty (captain), 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Ultan Dillane, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Matthew Burke.
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Greg McGrath, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Eoghan Masterson, 20 Abraham Papali’i, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Jarrad Butler, 23 Tom Daly.
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Paul Haycock (Ireland)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
