Healy And Casey Stand Tall As Munster Grind Out Win

Snatching a late victory for the second week running, CJ Stander’s 76th-minute try saw Munster overcome Guinness PRO14 Conference B rivals Edinburgh 25-23 at Thomond Park.

Munster Academy out-half Ben Healy capped his second senior start with a terrific 20-point kicking haul. The 21-year-old was the province’s late goal-kicking hero away to the Scarlets last week.

Edinburgh had looked on course for their first win of the new season, first-half converted tries from Mark Bennett and WP Nel raising hopes of them repeating last year’s narrow triumph over the same opposition in Cork.

Trailing 14-12 at the break, Munster relied on two more Healy penalties to edge them in front, but they needed that elusive try from captain Stander to cancel out place-kicks from Bennett and Jaco van der Walt.

Tipperary youngster Healy had an assured opening to Munster’s first Thomond Park appearance since rugby’s restart. He banged over two well-struck penalties, rewarding the efforts of Stander and Jeremy Loughman at the breakdown.

Munster’s own indiscipline allowed Edinburgh to build for an opening 12th-minute try. Grant Gilchrist knocked on a few metres out, but the visitors came again and centre Bennett broke in between Alex McHenry and debutant Matt Gallagher to score to the right of the posts.

Van der Walt’s conversion dispatched, Damien Hoyland did very well to reach Rory Scannell’s kick through ahead of the chasing Jack O’Donoghue as Munster hunted for a try in response. The TMO review went Edinburgh’s way, but a third Healy kick restored Munster’s lead, midway through the half.

On the half-hour mark, beefy Edinburgh prop Nel touched down past Rhys Marshall and John Ryan after an equally strong carry from Stuart McInally. Van der Walt’s conversion was followed by a late fourth Healy penalty, which came after another display of Tadhg Beirne’s breakdown smarts.

Early in the second period, Andrew Conway’s scrambling tackle took away a certain try from Edinburgh centre George Taylor. A van der Walt penalty did make it 17-12, only for Healy to quickly hit back after a high tackle on Craig Casey.

Van der Walt then saw yellow for a high tackle on his opposite number Healy, who gratefully took the three points on offer for an 18-17 scoreline. However, a D’arcy Graham break inspired the 14-man Scots, and a Bennett kick nudged them back in front with 14 minutes remaining.

Having watched Healy suffer his first penalty miss, the returning van der Walt extended Edinburgh’s advantage in the 73rd minute. Richard Cockerill’s men were denied a famous win, though, as Stander, with James Cronin on the latch, burrowed over for Healy to convert.

Scrum half Craig Casey was a deserving man-of-the-match winner, having provided real energy around the pitch and dovetailed well with fellow youngster Healy. Both came in for praise from Munster head coach Johann van Graan after the game.

“We said this will be a fight, it was a desperate Edinburgh team, a quality Edinburgh team,” said the South African. “We said this game will likely go 80 minutes and it literally went until that last scrum. After the week that we’ve had (with two Covid-19 positive tests disrupting training), I’m really proud of the squad effort.

“You’ve got to learn lessons from the past. We looked at the last ten minutes of our games. Credit to the coaching staff and the players, we kept our heads. A phenomenal kick into the corner, we got in front (with the try) and we exited, defended well and ultimately won the game.

“We spoke about it as a squad in there now, you’ve got to take your opportunities – especially at home. We know that Edinburgh will be right there at the end of the season. Last season we finished on top of the log together with them but we lost out by virtue of losing to them in Cork. So a real effort from the lads tonight.”

Van Graan added: “It’s about using your opportunities and Ben’s taken both opportunities that he’s gotten very well. Craig is right up there now, he’s going to train with the national squad next week, so it’s brilliant to have two quality players pushing (for the scrum half position).

“Conor (Murray) is world class and got selected for the national team again. We said that we want competition in the squad. Then we’ve got Nick McCarthy and Neil Cronin, who unfortunately got injured, so real competition for that number 9 shirt.”