Munster Dig Deep To Overcome Carty-Inspired Connacht

Diarmuid Barron’s 77th-minute try proved decisive as Munster edged out Connacht in a rip-roaring 20-18 United Rugby Championship win at Thomond Park.

The all-important conversion was added by Joey Carbery, who just a few minutes earlier had been charged down by URC player-of-the-match Jack Carty for the concession of seven points.

However, on the fifth anniversary of Anthony Foley’s death, Munster pulled out a smash-and-grab victory to remain unbeaten after four rounds.

The first game of the new Irish Shield competition was a typically bruising affair, Chris Cloete’s late try sending Munster in at the break with a 7-6 lead.

Two Carbery penalties sandwiched an unconverted effort from Connacht number 8 Paul Boyle, but despite Carty’s 70th-minute heroics, the Munster forwards had the final say.

Eager to bounce back from last week’s disappointment against the Dragons, a free-flowing first Connacht attack brought Mack Hansen in off the blindside wing and set up Carty’s opening penalty.

The Connacht out-half doubled the lead in the ninth minute, with Conor Oliver and Gavin Coombes soon trading turnover penalties.

Hansen had a try ruled out for a forward pass, but Bundee Aki was clearly revelling in the physicality of a niggly interprovincial tie.

Busy openside flanker Cloete increased his influence at the breakdown, but the Munster lineout continued to misfire, most notably in the Connacht 22.

Sam Arnold’s sin-binning for a swinging arm tackle on Mike Haley opened the door for the hosts, though, and they duly went ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Cloete grounded the ball after Tadhg Beirne had hacked through from a pinpoint cross-field kick from Rory Scannell. Carbery converted, but Connacht felt aggrieved as Beirne appeared offside on the replays.

Early in the second half, Cloete almost sniffed out a second try before Carbery knocked over his first penalty.

Crucially, the westerners hit back swiftly with Boyle lunging over from a tap penalty. Carty’s conversion went wide off the far right hand post.

Carbery nudged Munster back in front on the hour mark, but he took too long on a clearance kick, allowing Carty to get a block in, collect the bouncing ball and go in under the posts.

Try as they might, Connacht’s overworked defence could not hold out from the relentless Munster pressure. Barron, on as a replacement, drove in low to score and Carbery nailed the kick.

South African Cloete was a real livewire for Munster either side of half-time, being a terror at the breakdown and almost picking up two tries.

But Carty got the player-of-the-match nod for his influence from half-back, distributing sweetly and outshining Carbery in their number 10 duel.

Giving his reaction afterwards, Munster head coach Johann van Graan said: “It was a very physical interpro. Both sides gave it all they got, small margin in these games, that’s the beauty of Irish rugby.

“All four teams are always giving it everything they’ve got. We weren’t accurate enough in the first half specifically, but good teams score when it matters and the try before half-time for us was a big moment.

“We had a very strong wind in the second half and from a territory point of view we managed the second half pretty well and managed to come back from the charge-down and finish the game pretty well, so I’m very glad about the win.”

Speaking about some of the key moments that went against his side, Connacht boss Andy Friend insisted: “It hurts, it hurts to lose a game like that. I thought we were the better team. The scoreboard does not tell you that.

“We ask for consistency in this game, I didn’t think we got it. For the try involving Tiernan, it is a knock-on, the correct decision was made then. The ball went forward, that was fair enough, it did go forward.

“But there was a lot of time spent to get that decision. I thought the yellow card for Sammy was a very harsh call. I then thought, in fact I know, when Munster put the cross-field kick in that you have got Tadhg Beirne offside. It doesn’t get looked at.

“It doesn’t get pored over in the same manner. So they end up getting seven points for that. And at the end of the day, they win by two points. So I am frustrated and annoyed by that.”