| Munster 25 Connacht 10 | |||||
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  Connacht's try scorer, Fionn Carr, in action against Munster on Saturday night. Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan. Munster 25 Connacht 10 Connacht went down to Munster in Thomond Park on Saturday night despite putting in a spirited performance and taking the lead early on. An Ian Keatley penalty put Connacht ahead after eight minutes and they stayed in front until Paul Warwick equalised with a penalty of his own after 24 mins for Munster. Munster then enjoyed some fine form, taking the lead through a Barry Murphy try four minutes later which Warwick converted. Another Warwick penalty extended their lead on 33 minutes before Doug Howlett went over two minutes later to put them further in front, with Warwick again adding the extras. 20-3 is how it stayed until half time but having introduced Mel Deane and David Gannon after the break, Connacht scored a try of their own two minutes in through Fionn Carr. Keatley converted the try but Munster loosehead Federico Pucciarello put Munster further ahead on 51 minutes and that is how it stayed until full time. Scorers: Munster: Tries: Murphy, Howlett, Pucciarello. Cons: Warwick (2) Pens: Warwick (2) Connacht: Try: Carr Con: Keatley Pen: Keatley Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett, B Murphy, K Earls, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciarello, D Fogarty, T Buckley; M O'Driscoll (C), D Ryan; N Williams, N Ronan, D Leamy; Replacements: L Mafi for Hurley, 64 mins; B Holland for Williams, 70 mins; M Essex for Fogarty, 77 mins. Connacht: G Duffy; F Carr, N Ta'auso, T Nathan, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Loughney; A Browne, A Farley; J Muldoon (C), J O'Connor, C Rigney. Replacements: M Deane for Nathan, D Gannon for Rigney, both half time; A Flavin for Cronin, 51 mins; M Swift for Browne, 55 mins; B McGovern for Loughney, 60 mins; C O'Loughlin for Murphy, 74 mins; R Loughney for Wilkinson, 74 mins. Referee: James Jones (WRU). |
