Byrne Try Proves The Difference As Leinster Prevail In Thomond

Leinster’s defence stood tall tonight as their dogged 13-6 GUINNESS PRO14 derby win brought Munster’s two-year, 21-match unbeaten record at Thomond Park to an end.

Leo Cullen’s men repeated their St. Stephen’s Day 2017 victory in Limerick, using a very strong first-half wind to pick up crucial points – including an early Ed Byrne try – and then defend stoutly during a typically tense finale.

The visitors led 13-3 at the break, aided by eight points from Ross Byrne’s right boot, and although JJ Hanrahan’s penalty brace cut the gap to seven, Munster misfired most notably from a couple of late lineout opportunities.

‘The bit of dig-in for each other’ was what pleased Cullen most in the end, with 23-year-old scrum half Rowan Osborne impressing on his first start – he replaced an ill Jamison Gibson-Park – and number 8 Caelan Doris in man-of-the-match form.

“Good fight at the end, so defensively it was really pleasing,” admitted Cullen. “We conceded six tries in that game against Ulster, so to come away from home and concede none was a really good defensive effort. We’re very pleased with it.

“Guys fighting for each other. It was far from perfect, to be fair. The game was a bit of a scrappy affair, obviously the conditions make it very difficult. Full blooded as always, and I thought credit to both sets of players, they both played the game in the right spirit.

“We had a number of young guys out there today, so it’s a great step in their development. For that to be Rowan’s first start, I thought he did incredibly well. He brings a real pace and tempo to the game.

“A lot of credit must go to Noel McNamara and Tony Smeeth for getting me to bring him in the first place. Obviously Rowan has played for Trinity for the last couple of seasons, and he’s come in and been fantastic for us.

“It’s been a big block of games for us. That’s ten games down out of this 13, so Connacht next week, quick turnaround and then we’re into rounds 5 and 6 of the Champions Cup. Guys are working hard for each other which is pleasing.”

Munster’s eagerness for a strong start was punctured by loosehead Byrne’s ninth-minute touchdown. James Lowe’s incisive run did the initial damage, and after Jimmy O’Brien and Andrew Porter were stopped short, Byrne managed to burrow over.

Ross Byrne converted and then tagged on a 22nd-minute penalty, punishing Chris Cloete’s breakdown offence. Osborne, Byrne’s busy half-back partner, was standing up well to the Thomond Park pressure.

Territory-starved Munster were boosted by Jack O’Donoghue’s maul defence and a subsequent scrum penalty. However, a lineout infringement by the Waterford man allowed Byrne to put 13 points between the sides.

It was back to ten after Hanrahan rewarded a late Munster surge, which came from a Nick McCarthy charge-down and another scrum penalty. The Munster out-half doubled his contribution after a spritely start to the second half.

While Leinster showed impressive ball retention, Munster were finding joy through the direct route. Rory Scannell’s booming touchfinder and the 56th-minute entry of the returning Joey Carbery raised the decibel level significantly.

It was tit-for-tat past the hour mark, Leinster replacement hooker Sean Cronin’s turnover penalty being followed by an O’Donoghue-led choke tackle on Doris.

Munster built momentum through their forward carries, but a promising lineout maul near the right corner was grounded and Scott Fardy, Leinster’s captain for the night, soon swooped in for a turnover penalty.

Having leaked six tries to Ulster last week, the Leinster coaches were visibly pleased to keep Munster try-less. Their desire to extend their winning streak this season to 13 games was summed up by a bone-crunching double tackle by Will Connors and Cronin on Darren O’Shea.

Reacting to his side’s frustrating defeat, Munster head coach Johann van Graan commented: “Obviously very disappointed to lose at home. It was an incredibly tough match. I thought we didn’t start the game well enough.

“Leinster put us under pressure, we conceded penalties, they kicked us into the corner. Ultimately, their try was the difference in the game. I thought we reassessed quite well at half-time and adapted.

“We had multiple opportunities in the 22. All credit to Leinster, they kept us out. In the last 10 minutes, we just literally couldn’t get over the try-line. Unfortunately, we lost a lineout there on the goal-line, very frustrating but well done to them.

“I thought our discipline in the first half let us down. I think the positive in the first half was that we got into their 22 once and we got away with three points. The second half, obviously, we won 3-0 but the fact that we were 13-3 down at half-time, right at the end it cost us.”