Five-Try Munster Maul The Borders

The Borders proved no match for a hungry Munster side on Friday night as Irish internationals Alan Quinlan, Frankie Sheahan and Jerry Flannery were all on the scoresheet in a 36-0 win for the Heineken Cup champions.

MAGNERS LEAGUE: Friday, February 16

BORDERS 0 MUNSTER 36, Netherdale (Att: 1,485)

Scorers: Borders: –
Munster: Tries: Alan Quinlan, Shaun Payne, Frankie Sheahan, Tim McGann, Jerry Flannery; Cons: Jeremy Manning, Eoghan Hickey 3; Pen: Manning

The home side had competed well in the opening exchanges before a Jeremy Manning penalty opened Munster’s account which was followed by tries before the break by Shaun Payne and Frankie Sheahan.

Manning slotted the conversion to make the gap 15 points – leaving the hosts with a tough task to get back into the contest.

But any hopes of a fightback were dashed as Munster rattled up three more tries in quick succession through Alan Quinlan, Tim McGann and Jerry Flannery – all converted by substitute Eoghan Hickey.

TIME LINE: 9 minutes – Borders penalty: missed by Calum MacRae; 12 mins – Munster penalty: Jeremy Manning – 0-3; 34 mins – Munster try: Shaun Payne – 0-8; conversion: missed by Jeremy Manning; 40+3 mins – Munster try: Frankie Sheahan – 0-13; conversion: Jeremy Manning – 0-15; Half-Time – Borders 0 Munster 15; 51 mins – Munster try: Alan Quinlan – 0-20; conversion: Eoghan Hickey – 0-22; 56 mins – Munster try: Tim McGann – 0-27; conversion: Eoghan Hickey – 0-29; 63 mins – Munster try: Jerry Flannery – 0-34; conversion: Eoghan Hickey – 0-36; Full-Time – Borders 0 Munster 36

BORDERS: Calum MacRae (capt); Stuart Moffat, Ben MacDougall, Nick De Luca, Simon Danielli; Steve Jones, Rob Chrystie; Ryan Grant, Steve Scott, Ed Kalman, John Dalziel, Richie Vernon, Scott Newlands, Andy Miller, Scott Gray.

Replacements used: Scott Forrest for Gray (16 mins), Bruce Douglas for Kalman (35), Ross Ford for Scott (51), Garry Law for De Luca (58), Kalman for Grant (65), Gregor Townsend for MacRae (68), Brendan McKerchar for Chrystie (74). Not used: Bruce McNeil.

MUNSTER: Christian Cullen; Shaun Payne, Barry Murphy, Lifeimi Mafi, Ian Dowling; Jeremy Manning, Tomas O’Leary; Darragh Hurley, Frankie Sheahan, Federico Pucciariello, Mick O’Driscoll (capt), Chris Wyatt, Alan Quinlan, Tim McGann, James Coughlan.

Replacements used: Donnacha Ryan for Coughlan (18 mins), Jerry Flannery for Sheahan, Eoghan Hickey for Manning (both 46), Brian O’Meara for O’Leary, Mossie Lawlor for Payne, Tony Buckley for Pucciariello (all 65), Mark Melbourne for Wyatt (72).

Sin Bin: -; IrishRugby.ie man of the match: McGann (Munster)
Referee: James Jones (Wales)