Munster strike early to beat Ospreys to move into URC semi-final
Shane Daly of Munster keeps the ball in play during the United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Thomond Park. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
MUNSTER got the better of a dogged Ospreys in the URC quarter-final at Thomond Park on Friday evening, with early tries from Simon Zebo and Niall Scannell doing the damage.
If Munster fans were concerned that their side might be a bit complacent for this knockout tie then they got a positive answer when the home side crossed for a fantastic try after just 87 seconds, when Antoine Frisch and Gavin Coombes combined to put Zebo away in the thirteen channel, and the soon to be retired full back was never going to be stopped before hitting the whitewash.
The Ospreys responded almost immediately with a wonderful try in the fourth minute when out-half Owen Williams chipped over the top for Owen Watkins to regather and he offloaded in the one movement to number eight Morgan Morris, who in turn fed Keelan Giles, and the winger had the gas to race home.
It took until the 18th minute for Munster to stamp their authority on this fixture, with the maul doing the damage down the right touchline, and the move ended when hooker Niall Scannell peeled away at the back of a rumbling maul to crash over.
After another big Munster maul had gotten them within a yard of the Ospreys try-line Graham Rowntree’s side elected to take the points in the 27th minute, as Crowley split the posts from straight in front with a penalty.
Ospreys blindside Jac Morgan got within inches of the Munster line in the 37th minute, but the Munster line held firm, and when the Ospreys backed their scrum from their next close in penalty the decision backfired completely as the Munster front row blew them away to win a penalty of their own, which allowed Munster to exit, to ensure they led 17-7 at the break.
Munster dominated the opening exchanges of the second half, but it was the Ospreys turn to show how dogged their defence was, as they resisted Munster’s close-in drives until they forced a knock on.
With the Ospreys proving a tough nut to crack it was no surprise that Munster captain Tadhg Beirne pointed to the posts in the 58th minute when the Munster front row had won another vital scrum penalty close to the Welsh clubs posts, as Crowley slotted the first score of the half.
Munster continued with the pragmatic approach when awarded another kickable penalty in the 62nd minute, and Crowley split the posts again to put Munster three scores to the good.
The Ospreys had done well to stay in the game for so long, but in truth Munster squeezed the life out of them in the second half, not allowing them any territory and keeping the scoreboard ticking along through the boot of Crowley, as Munster saw out the victory to make the last four of the competition once more.
J Crowley 3 pens, 2 cons, S Zebo, N Scannell 1 try each.
O Williams 1 con, K Giles 1 try.
S Zebo; C Nash, A Frisch, S O'Brien, S Daly; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, N Scannell, S Archer; RG Snyman, T Beirne (c); P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
D Barron, O Jager and J O’Donoghue for N Scannell, S Archer and P O’Mahony (47), M Haley for S Zebo (53), C Murray for C Casey (58), J Ryan and A Kendellen for J Loughman and J Hodnett (62), T Butler for A Frisch (69).
M Nagy; L Morgan, O Watkin, K Williams, K Giles; O Williams, R Morgan-Williams; N Smith, D Lake, T Botha; J Ratti, H Sutton; J Morgan, J Tipuric (c), M Morris.
G Thomas and R Henry for N Smith and T Botha (54), S Parry for D Lake (61), V Sekekete for H Sutton (70), M Morse and H Houston for M Morris and M Nagy (74).
Hollie Davidson (SRU).
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