Munster pay the penalty in Africa losing to the Sharks in a dramatic quarter final tie

Sharks 24 

Munster 24 

(Sharks win 6-5 on penalties after extra time) 

Munster lost to the Sharks on penalties in agonising fashion in what was a thriller of a URC quarter final at Hollywoodbets Kings Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

Munster scored a scintillating try in the 10th minute to light the touch paper. 

Diarmuid Kilgallen displayed his impressive turn of foot to make the initial break and when the ball hit the deck Jack Crowley wasted no time and sprayed a wonderful kick to the right corner and Calvin Nash won the dash to the ball to score.

Crowley missed a chance to extend Munster's lead in the 16th minute but he screwed a very kickable penalty wide.

The perceived wisdom is that home sides prevail at home in knockout rugby but no one told Munster, who were hell bent on making life extremely uncomfortable for their hosts.

Sharks Jordan Hendrikse pulled his penalty attempt left in the 33rd minute in an attempt to get the Sharks on the board and soon captain Tadhg Beirne made a crucial interception on his own tryline when the South African side seemed certain to score.

The half ended with Kilgallen defusing a dink up the left touchline by the Sharks as Munster went into the dressing room with a 0-7 lead. The home side now knew that they were in a scrap.

In the 46th minute the Sharks finally breeched Munster when a fabulous offload put winger Ethan Hooker in the clear and he stepped his way to the line to level affairs and Jordan Hendrikse slotted an easy three pointer soon after to give the home side the lead.

Munster then scored another class try in the 57th minute when scrum half Craig Casey fed Josh Wycherley to crash over from close range for the lead score. And four minutes later Diarmuid Kilgallen took advantage of a South African slip to capitalise on a Mike Haley grubber kick to score brilliantly.

The Sharks put huge pressure on Munster under their posts with the Munster scrum creaking considerably with them eventually capitalising with full back Aphelele Fassi crossing in the 67th minute to make it a four point game.

The Sharks kept coming and kicked to the corner in the 73rd minute as they looked to grab the lead score and soon after replacement hooker Fez Mbatha crashed over and suddenly the Sharks had themselves a three point lead.

The experienced Conor Murray then landed a superb 45 metre penalty to level it in the 77th minute to ensure we had a frantic finish and extra time.

Alex Kendellen won a huge turnover on his own line in the 87th minute and right on half time in extra time Tom Ahern brilliantly charged down an attempted drop goal to ensure Munster survived the Sharks onslaught.

The second period of extra time was nerve-wracking with Ahern again at the forefront in a destructive capacity but neither side could score and we were destined for the rare and cruel sight of a penalty shoot out in top level rugby.

The Sharks were perfect with six out of six and unfortunately Rory Scannell’s first attempt hooked just wide and yet again Munster lost out by the narrowest of margins in an agonising penalty shootout, as Bradley Davids slotted the winning kick.

Scorers for Sharks: Jordan Hendrikse (1 pen, 3 cons), E Hooke, A Fassi, F Mbatha (1 try each) 

Munster: J Crowley (3 cons), C Nash, J Wycherley, D Kilgallen (1 try each) 

Hollywoodbets Sharks: A Fassi; E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth (capt), J Jenkins; J Venter, V Tshituka, S Kolisi Subs: E van Heerden for J Jenkins (12), F Mbatha, N Mchunu, H Jacobs for O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch (59), P Buthelezi for S Kolisi (55), Y Penxe for L Am (64), F Venter for J Jenkins (75), B Davids for M Mapimpi (99) 

Munster: T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, D Kilgallen; J Crowley, C Casey; M Milne, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne (capt); P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes Subs: M Haley for T Abrahams (52), J Wycherley and T Ahern for M Milne and P O’Mahony (54), D Barron for N Scannell (59), A Kendellen and C Murray for J Hodnett and C Casey (65), M Milne for J Wycherley (67), J Ryan for S Archer (69), R Scannell for A Nankivell (74), N Scannell for D Barron (80).

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU).