Billy Bohan making a break for Connacht. James Crombie/INPHO

As it happened: Connacht defeat Munster 26-7 in URC

Catch up on all the action as Connacht hosted Munster in Galway.

Good evening and welcome along to the clash of the provinces.

Dexcom Stadium provides the setting as Connacht host Munster in a crunch URC meeting. Connacht are looking to squeeze into the top eight and with that, reach the play-offs and qualify for next season’s Champions Cup.

They welcome a Munster side who arrive on the back of another troubling week for the club.

We’ll have team news for you in the next few moments with kick-off to come shortly at 7.45pm.

Connacht:

  • 15. Sam Gilbert
  • 14. Shane Jennings
  • 13. Harry West
  • 12. Bundee Aki
  • 11. Shayne Bolton
  • 10. Josh Ioane
  • 9. Ben Murphy
  • 1. Billy Bohan
  • 2. Dylan Tierney-Martin
  • 3. Sam Illo
  • 4. Darragh Murray
  • 5. Josh Murphy
  • 6. Cian Prendergast (capt)
  • 7. Shamus Hurley-Langton
  • 8. Sean Jansen

Replacements:

  • 16. Eoin de Buitléar
  • 17. Peter Dooley
  • 18. Finlay Bealham
  • 19. Joe Joyce
  • 20. Paul Boyle
  • 21. Matthew Devine
  • 22. Jack Carty
  • 23. Seán Naughton

Munster:

  • 15. Mike Haley
  • 14. Shane Daly
  • 13. Alex Nankivell
  • 12. Dan Kelly
  • 11. Andrew Smith
  • 10. JJ Hanrahan
  • 9. Craig Casey (capt)
  • 1. Jeremy Loughman
  • 2. Diarmuid Barron
  • 3. Michael Ala’alatoa
  • 4. Edwin Edogbo
  • 5. Fineen Wycherley
  • 6. Tom Ahern
  • 7. John Hodnett
  • 8. Gavin Coombes

Replacements:

  • 16. Lee Barron
  • 17. Josh Wycherley
  • 18. Conor Bartley
  • 19. Jack O’Donoghue
  • 20. Brian Gleeson
  • 21. Ben O’Donovan
  • 22. Seán O’Brien
  • 23. Alex Kendellen

Kick-Off! Connacht v Munster

1 min: Connacht 0-0 Munster

Munster’s JJ Hanrahan get us underway in Galway.

2 mins: Connacht 0-0 Munster

Great break from Connacht’s Billy Bohan and the hosts are awarded a penalty which they send to the corner.

4 mins: Connacht 0-0 Munster

A knock-on from Bundee Aki sees Munster win a scrum which they secure to get the clearance away.

5 mins: Connacht 0-0 Munster

Another Connacht penalty as Michael Ala’alatoa is penalised. Connacht go for the corner again and retain possession from the lineout. They’re closing in now, and have the advantage.

7 mins: Connacht 0-0 Munster

HELD UP!

Shamus Hurley-Langton makes the gain to get his side over the line but they’re held up. The referee calls it back for an offside against Munster and Connacht will go again.

8 mins: Connacht 0-0 Munster

Munster penalty!

The visitors get the turnover and that’s a big win for them after that period of pressure.

11 mins: Connacht 0-0 Munster

Connacht scrum after a knock-on by Mike Haley in the air. Ben Murphy gets the ball out and Connacht get motoring. 

TRY! Connacht 7-0 Munster (Ben Murphy ’12)

14 mins: Connacht 7-0 Munster

Brilliant from Murphy. He spots a gap in the Munster line and sprints through for a try under the posts. Sam Gilbert adds the conversion and it’s first blood to Connacht.

28 mins: Connacht 12-0 Munster

Sorry, folks. Technical issues on our end. Let’s catch you up on what has happened in the last few minutes.

Shayne Bolton just got a try for Connacht while Munster have been reduced to 14 men after a yellow card for hooker Diarmuid Barron was upgraded to a 20-minute red card for his challenge on Dylan Tierney-Martin which forced him to be replaced by Eoin De Buitléar.

Meanwhile, Munster’s Lee Barron has come in for John Hodnett.

31 mins: Connacht 12-0 Munster

Brilliant attack from Connacht as they close in on Munster’s five-metre line again. 

33 mins: Connacht 12-0 Munster

Munster win it back though following a knock-on which briefly brings some relief but Connacht then win a penalty after some brilliant work on the ground by Billy Bohan.

The hosts keep bringing the heat as they head for the corner.

TRY! Connacht 19-0 Munster (Shamus Hurley-Langton ’17)

37 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

The good times continue for Connacht with a try from a set-piece.

Cian Prendergast set them up for the maul with a clean fetch from the lineout, and Shamus Hurley-Langton came in with the final push to get Connacht’s third try of the half.

Gilbert has no trouble with the conversion this time and it’s not looking good for Munster.

37 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Gilbert reads the bounce well to secure the ball and kill off a Munster attack. Hanrahan claims the kick return as Munster start moving through the phases.

They could do with some points before the break.

Half-Time! Connacht 19-0 Munster

Connacht 19-0 Munster

It’s all Connacht so far.

Munster have rarely threatened the opposition ’22 and a lot of the action is happening in their half of the field. Connacht have touched down three times in the first half and were also held up.

Sam Gilbert has two conversions from three attempts and Munster just can’t seem to get moving.

40 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

JJ Hanrahan gets two goes at starting the second half but finally gets the kick away on the second attempt.

41 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Munster are starting with a bit more zip and win a penalty which Hanrahan sends into the corner.

42 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

They win the maul and recycle the ball out through Craig Casey. Sam Illo does well to hold them up but Munster still have possession.

They’re getting close now.

43 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

The door is shut so far but Munster have a penalty.

43 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Lee Barron takes it quickly but they’re held up and the referee wants to go to the TMO.

43 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

MUNSTER NO TRY!

TMO rules that it’s a knock-on and loss of control short of the line against Alex Kendellen.

45 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Harry West on the break for Connacht. Munster frantically get numbers back to get their lines in order but they’re under pressure again.

47 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Murphy feeds Sean Jansen who tries to power his way through but he gets held up and Munster win the penalty. Casey thumps it away.

Munster change: Brian Gleeson comes in for Gavin Coombes.

48 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Connacht changes: Finlay Bealham and Peter Dooley come in for Behan and Illo.

50 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Jansen wins a penalty for Connacht and there’s a huge cheer from the boys in green as the whistle goes.

51 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Penalty call goes to Munster this time as Kendellen gets the nod. The game is becoming a bit scrappy. No scores for either side after 10 minutes of the second half.

53 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Great run from Prendergast along the wing. Connacht patiently hold onto the ball through the phases and eventually win a penalty as Munster’s Gleeson is punished for not rolling away.

55 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Connacht change: Joe Joyce is on for Josh Murphy.

56 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Peter Dooley is adjudged to have collapsed the scrum. Hanrahan takes the penalty and sets up a lineout just inside the Connacht half of the field.

58 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Connacht string the passes together to release Bolton along the wing but his grubber kick dribbles out of play. Munster have the lineout but Connacht will make it hard to get out of their house.

61 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Gleeson wins a penalty for Munster after some good work to get in over the ball while Bundee Aki tried to release.

Connacht change: Hurley-Langton makes way for Paul Boyle. 

64 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

A big cheer goes up from Connacht’s Boyle after a Munster maul ends up out over the touchline. Connacht initially win their lineout but Jack O’Donoghue intervenes to win the ball back for Munster.

They’re throwing bodies at the Connacht cover on the tryline. Is their opening score of the game on the way?

66 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Munster switch the play to find Andrew Smith on the opposite wing. He tries a sidestep in an attempt to lose Harry West but Connacht do brilliantly to shift across and keep Munster out.

But Munster have a penalty and will tap and go.

67 mins: Connacht 19-0 Munster

Another Munster penalty for an offside against Connacht. They’re still knocking on the door.

TRY! Connacht 19-7 Munster (Craig Casey ’68)

70 mins: Connacht 19-7 Munster

Munster needed that.

Shane Daly couldn’t find a way through but pulls the ball back to Casey who dances his way over and Hanrahan converts. 

Over to Conncht now for the response as we enter the final 10 minutes.

70 mins: Connacht 19-7 Munster

Bolton almost slides in!

He couldn’t get the ball over before the red jerseys surrounded him.

Connacht still have it though and still have a chance.

TRY! Connacht 26-7 Munster (Sean Jansen ’70)

73 mins: Connacht 26-7 Munster 

And that’s the bonus point!

Sean Jansen plows over and Connacht have built up some distance now as Gilbert taps over the conversion.

75 mins: Connacht 26-7 Munster

Munster are building up the phases but are struggling to gain the territory needed to get back into the scoring zone again.

78 mins: Connacht 26-7 Munster

Connacht win it back and Bolton makes a great gain to put them into position. Jack Carty then makes a great kick and Connacht are really just easing themselves into the winner’s enclosure now.

Full-Time! Connacht 26-7 Munster

Connacht 26-7 Munster

And that’s that!

A brilliant win for Connacht as they continue to chase the play-offs. Five points here is a huge step towards that. Tries from Ben Murphy, Shayne Bolton and Shamus Hurley-Langton sent them on their way and man-of-the-match Sean Jansen secured the bonus-point with try number four late in the second half.

Munster really never got out of first gear. That Craig Casey try offered them a spark but they couldn’t add to it.

Well, that’s all from us, folks. Thanks for joining us this evening, we hope you enjoyed the coverage.

Until next time, good luck!

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