Munster 58 Ospreys 3 

A Gavin Coombes hat-trick inspired Munster to a convincing nine-try victory over the Ospreys in their URC clash at Thomond Park.

Shane Daly had barely got warmed up when he found himself sitting down for ten minutes due to being yellow carded in the third minute, after conceding a cynical penalty. From the resultant penalty Ospreys out-half Stephen Myler scored an easy three-pointer. It was to be their only score.

Joey Carbery levelling in the 12th minute after some strong carrying from Gavin Coombes up the middle, and just three minutes later the big number eight burst through some weak Welsh tackling 20m from the line and had the gas to get home for his 30th Munster try.

We did not have to wait long for the next score. It came when the electric Antoine Frisch made a huge break down the thirteen channel and he had the hands to put away his centre partner Malakai Fekitoa in the left corner for a brilliant 19th minute score.

Frisch grabbed himself a try of his own in the 29th minute, as he played a wonderful one-two with Fekitoa, and after collecting on the loop, raced in for the score.

The bonus point was secured by the 37th minute when Carbery collected a Fekitoa pass in midfield, off first-phase possession, and was able to carve a route through the porous Ospreys defensive line to race home, to make it 27-3 at halftime.

The second half had barely restarted when a brilliant John Hodnett offload put Paddy Patterson dancing down the left touchline to score, and in the 53rd minute, Coombes crossed once more after big carries from the likes of Niall Scannell and Fineen Wycherley.

Simon Zebo reminded everyone of his finishing prowess with a trademark finish in the right corner in the 63rd minute, after being fed by Daly, and Daly ran a lovely curved line off a Diarmuid Barron popped pass in the 69th minute to get himself on the scoresheet. 

Coombes completed his hat-trick late on to cap his Man of the Match display.

Scorers for Munster: Carbery (1 pen, 5 cons, 1 try), G Coombes (3 tries), Fekitoa, Frisch, Patterson, Zebo, Daly (1 try each).

Ospreys: Myler (1 pen). 

MUNSTER: Daly; L Coombes, Frisch, Fekitoa, Zebo; Carbery, Patterson; J Wycherley, N Scannell, Salanoa; Kleyn, F Wycherley; O'Donoghue (capt), Hodnett, G Coombes.

Subs: O’Sullivan for O’Donoghue (32), Coughlan for Patterson (51), Healy for L Coombes (53), Kendellen and R Scannell for Kleyn and Frisch (59), Barron for N Scannell (63), Archer for Salanoa (66), Donnelly for J Wycherley (68).

OSPREYS: Nagy; Morgan, Collins, Watkin, Giles; Myler, Morgan-Williams; Smith (capt), Taione, Botha; Davies, Sutton; Regan, Roots, Morris.

Subs: Hopkins for Collins (38), Henry and Deaves for Botha and Regan (53), Cowan-Dickie and Phillips for Taione and Smith (60), Walsh for Giles (68), Aubrey for Morgan-Williams (71).

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR).