Munster spark to life to hit Scarlets for four second-half tries
Ben O’Connor of Munster is tackled by Ioan Nicholas of Scarlets during the United Rugby Championship match at Thomond Park. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
After struggling in the first half Munster woke from their slumber to score four second-half tries to dispatch Scarlets with ease at Thomond Park on Saturday, with a brace of tries from Gavin Coombes ensuring Munster took all the points on offer.
The Scarlets fly-half Ioan Lloyd was astray with his third-minute penalty attempt as both sides were extremely sloppy in their play early on.
Scarlets centre Joe Roberts was then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on in midfield, and from the resultant attacking lineout big Tom Ahern spun off the maul to crash over in the 13th minute, but we had the bizarre instance of the TMO intervening to disallow the score after the conversion had been taken and the Scarlets had restarted the game, as a knock on had been spotted in the maul.
In the 18th minute Lloyd had a second bite at the cherry, after the officials decided to overlook what looked like a clear high hit on Oli Jager, and this time he made no mistake as he gave the visitors the early lead.
Soon after Munster spurned the chance to kick for the posts and they released the ball to the backs to do their stuff, with Rory Scannell and Tom Farrell combining in midfield to find the inside run of Shay McCarthy and the Young Munster wing crossed for a brilliant 21st-minute try that Billy Burns converted.
Munster had plenty of the ball afterwards, but we were presented with one of the poorest halves of rugby we will witness this season. There was a huge error count from both sides and therefore it was no surprise that no further score was added to the scoreboard, as Munster led 7-3 at half time.
Gavin Coombes performed his usual party piece of muscling over from close range in the 45th minute to give Munster some breathing space.
Munster’s performance levels went up significantly at this juncture. A good run from deep from Ben O’Connor got Munster back within range and the pack bashed away at the Scarlets line once more until Alex Kendellen punched his way over in the 52nd minute for Munster’s third try in the right corner.
Scarlets replacement Macs Page scored a wonderful individual try in the 59th minute despite it looking in the replays that Paddy Patterson had made a stupendous try saving tackle to prevent the ball from being grounded, but once again the officials made themselves unpopular in Limerick by sticking with their original decision to award the try.
The bonus point try was achieved in the 65th minute with Coombes again scoring from close range in the manner of an NFL quarter-back sneak, after Brian Gleeson had gotten close, and Tom Farrell scored with the last play to ensure the Munster faithful went home satisfied.
B Burns (2 cons), G Coombes (2 tries), S McCarthy, A Kendellen, T Farrell (1 try each).
I Lloyd (1 pen), M Page (1 try).
B O'Connor; S Daly, T Farrell, R Scannell, D Kilgallen; B Burns, E Coughlan; J Wycherley, D Barron, O Jager; T Ahern, F Wycherley, J O’Donoghue (c), A Kendellen, G Coombes.
S McCarthy for D Kilgallen (15), B Gleeson for J O’Donoghue (40), J Hodnett for T Ahern (51), K Ryan, J Ryan and P Patterson for J Wycherley, O Jager and E Coughlan (55), N Scannell and T Butler for D Barron and B Burns (64).
I Nicholas; E Mee, J Roberts, J Williams, S Evans; I Lloyd, G Davies (c); K Mathias, M van der Merwe, A Holz; M Douglas, S Lousi; T Plumtree, D Davis, V Fifita.
S Wainwright for A Holz (13), A Hepburn for K Mathias (46), A Craig for T Plumtree (53), R Elias and M Page for M van der Merwe and ccc (55), J Taylor for D Davis (61), A Hughes for G Davies (67), C Titcombe for S Evans (72).
Federico Vedovelli (FIR).
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