Munster moved to the top of the GUINNESS PRO14’s Conference A after edging out Connacht 31-24 in a super-charged seven-try shootout at the Sportsground.
Returning captain Peter O’Mahony and man-of-the-match Joey Carbery, who scored 16 points, played crucial roles as Johann van Graan’s men built on last week’s derby success against Leinster to replace Glasgow Warriors, who lost to Benetton Rugby, at the top of the table.
Converted tries from O’Mahony (16 minutes) and Dan Goggin (24) cancelled out Tom Farrell’s opportunist seven-pointer as Munster took a 14-10 half-time lead, with Jack Carty landing a late penalty for in-form Connacht.
Cian Kelleher and Goggin swapped third quarter tries, the latter score sparking a run of 17 points from the victors whose 63rd-minute bonus point try was run in by Carbery. Connacht set up a grandstand finish with a brilliantly-worked Carty try eight minutes from the end, but Munster’s strength-in-depth proved too much.
Both van Graan and Andy Friend made changes to winning sides from the last round, with one eye on next week’s return to European action. Illness prevented Denis Buckley from running out for his 150th Connacht appearance, but their debutant centre Tom Daly made an early impression with a powerful break.
The opening try arrived a few minutes later, Farrell impressively ripping the ball from Arno Botha’s grasp and racing clear from the hosts’ 10-metre line to stun Munster. Carty converted but Connacht blew their next opportunity as Tadhg Beirne stole a key lineout.
After Alby Mathewson tackled his opposite number Caolin Blade into touch, Munster upped the tempo in attack with Chris Farrell getting over the gain-line and deft hands from Carbery and Keith Earls sent O’Mahony over for a slick try which the fly-half converted.
The men in red kept hold of territory, dictating through their tactical kicking and forward play. TMO Simon McDowell adjudged that prop John Ryan was stopped short before Munster used the resulting five-metre scrum to spring centre Goggin over from close range. Carbery’s simple conversion opened up a 14-7 advantage.
Crucially, Connacht began to claw back some of that territory with Caolin Blade winning an important penalty and Matt Healy’s pace bringing them past halfway. O’Mahony infringed at a ruck and handed Carty the opportunity to rifle over three points with a well-struck final kick of the half.
Connacht enjoyed a blistering start to the second period as Tom Farrell, who continues to enhance his international hopes, found a gap between Chris Farrell and Goggin and spun a pass wide for winger Kelleher to finish off. Carty supplied the extras but Munster’s strong bench made its impact nearing the hour mark.
While Connacht were missing Bundee Aki and skipper Jarrad Butler, Munster had the luxury of introducing Conor Murray and CJ Stander and a terrific third try got them back on track. Some slick running and handling between Earls and Chris Farrell released Alex Wootton up into the 22, and Mathewson’s looping pass bounced up for Goggin to complete his brace near the left corner.
A cracking conversion and an 18-metre penalty from Carbery widened the gap to 24-17, and with O’Mahony continuing to exert influence at the breakdown and on the opposition lineout, Munster were rewarded with the bonus point. The maul sucked Connacht in and replacement Tyler Bleyendaal’s long pass put Carbery stepping inside Healy to dart over and convert.
The home crowd erupted when Farrell and Colby Fainga’a combined in superb fashion to send Carty in under the posts to complete his 14-point haul. The swiftly-converted try was only enough for a losing bonus point as Munster deservedly ended a run of six successive away defeats to their fellow provinces.
Giving his reaction afterwards, Connacht head coach Friend said: “We’re more than those three players (Aki, Buckley and Butler), we’re more than any individual. We’re a footy team who understand what we’re trying to do and although we had the loss, there was a lot of positives we can take out of that.
“We’ll take that and keep building. I thought our boys, when we got our double shunts in defence there were some really good hits out there. We carried strong and with quick ball we were making holes through them.
“It was a good arm wrestle, we said at half-time it was going to be the team who loses concentration, doesn’t stick to the system (who loses). In the end, in fairness, it was probably us. I don’t think our concentration levels dropped, (Munster) lifted again.
“They kept the pressure on us and there was too much pressure there in the end. The way we fought back to within seven points and even right at the death, to keep challenging to get that draw. It just shows the ambition and desire of the team.”
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