Hanrahan And Mathewson Steer Munster To Well-Earned Bonus Point Win

Munster moved to the top of the GUINNESS PRO14 Conference B table after picking up five points in a 33-23 win away to Cardiff Blues.

After a closely-fought first half, it was all level at 13 points apiece with Chris Cloete scoring Munster’s opening try and man-of-the-match JJ Hanrahan kicking a conversion and two penalties.

An improved second half display produced a Calvin Nash try and a brace from the influential Alby Mathewson to seal the province’s fourth bonus point victory in five games.

Johann van Graan’s men are back at home next Saturday evening for their first interprovincial derby of the season against Ulster at Thomond Park (kick-off 5.15pm). The South African was pleased as he reflected on the province’s first triumph at the Arms Park since March 2017.

“We’d struggled here for the last two seasons and we wanted to make this one count,” admitted the Munster head coach, speaking in the aftermath of the game. “We chose to play into the wind.

“We defended pretty well in the first half, even though Cardiff scored at the end of it to get back level, and we were all pretty calm in the break. The second half performance was really good.”

In difficult weather conditions, out-halves Jarrod Evans and Hanrahan exchanged penalties inside the opening 13 minutes. Backed by a strong wind, the Blues were back in Munster territory for a second Evans penalty after the visitors were pinged for holding on.

Munster continued to work their way into this fifth round tie and took the lead with a close range Cloete effort on 23 minutes.  A superb Dan Goggin offload to Shane Daly in the lead-up helped create the well-worked five-pointer which Hanrahan converted.

The Kerry native stretched the lead to 13-6 further with a penalty six minutes later, however it was Cardiff who closed out on the half on the front foot. Following some sustained pressure, prop Corey Domachowski eventually broke the line and Evans added the close-range conversion.

The young Cardiff number 10 stepped up again early in the second half to kick his side ahead after Munster strayed offside. However, the visitors struck back within minutes as Mathewson finished off a Sam Arnold break and pop pass from the ground to make it 20-16.

Limerick youngster Nash was next to cross after replacement centre Rory Scannell made the initial break and Mathewson provided the final pass for the winger to finish off the opportunity. The bonus point try then arrived in the 66th minute after some superb counter-attacking play.

Making his first appearance of the season, Conor Oliver pounced on a spilled ball from Cardiff. With possession moved out, Hanrahan found the space to break away and with Mathewson outside him, the scrum half linked with Goggin before finishing the move off himself.

Hanrahan was off target with the touchline conversion, but he made no mistake with the next penalty to leave the scoreboard showing 33-16 as the clock was winding down.

The home side closed out the game with a Nick Williams try, but Munster had done enough to come away from the Welsh capital with the maximum haul. It was a job well done with Hanrahan praising the young players who have been ‘unbelievable’ in the absence of the Ireland internationals.