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Munster's Felix Jones and Stuart Hogg of Glasgow INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Munster vs. Glasgow Warriors, RaboDirect PRO 12

The Scottish side visited Musgrave Park with hopes of inflicting a third successive home defeat on the Reds.

We went minute-by-minute for the Munster v Glasgow league encounter in the RaboDirect Pro 12.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game.

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Munster 35-29 Glasgow

Here are the line-ups:

Munster: Jones; O’Dea, Murphy, Mafi, Zebo;  Keatley, O’Leary: Du Preez, Sherry, Archer; O’Callaghan, O’Driscoll (capt); Ryan, O’Donnell, O’Mahony.

Replacements: Varley, Horan, Ryan, Holland, Butler, Murray, Deasy, Dineen.

Glasgow: Murchie; Aramburu, Hogg, Dunbar, Shaw; Jackson, Cusiter: Welsh, MacArthur, Cusack; Gray, Kellock (capt); Harley, Fusaro, Beattie.

Replacements: Hall, Grant, Low, Ryder, Forrester, Pyrgos, Weir, Seymour.

Donnacha O’Callaghan leads his side out for his Munster cap number 200. Our very own Sean Farrell wrote a marvelous piece on the milestone so have a read if you get a chance. Highly recommended … by me.

Glasgow will get us underway.

KICK-OFF!

Glasgow and the distinctive blonde-hair of Richie Gray drive forward but a knock-on gives an early scrum to Munster.

Munster 0-3 Glasgow: First penalty conceded by Munster in a kickable position and Archer is the guilty man – going off his feet. Ruairidh Jackson strikes it over confidently.

Simon Zebo tries to put Felix Jones clear but the pass is called forward. Glasgow captain Kellock gets a talking to before the put-in and has a quick pow-wow with his colleagues in the pack. The resulting scrum is lost by Munster and Jackson kicks into enemy territory.

Mike Sherry gets short shrift from referee Nigel Owens but Jackson is right and wide with the penalty. O’Driscoll collects an Ian Keatley restart and Munster get the attacking platform on halfway.

Munster 3-3 Glasgow: Threatening bursts on the left flank by Peter O’Mahony and Keatley bring the Reds into the Warriors ’22. Glasgow penalised for not rolling away and trying to slow the ball down. Keatley’s kick sails serenely over.

So so close for Felix Jones. Looked like he had done enough as he spun off a tackle from Chris Cusiter but he was held up by MacArthur. Play is held up as O’Mahony is lying prone on the right wing. He eventually rises but is limping badly.

Owens has a mobile-phone now that looks like something out of Magnum P.I. The radio microphones up to the television officials has gone kaput.

“Can I award the try?” (Credit: Atomic Gator)

TRY MUNSTER!

Good work from O’Driscoll and Donnacha O’Callaghan plays scrum-half, of sorts, to find Luke O’Dea out wide. He dives over to give his side the lead.

Munster 8-6 Glasgow: Keatley misses a tough conversion from the right touchline. O’Callaghan claims the restart but Wian du Preez is undisciplined and concedes a cheap penalty. Jackson nails it to draw Warriors close.

Munster 11-6 Glasgow: Good ball carrying breaks down the left again for the Munster men. Sherry has looked lively and O’Mahony has recovered well from his knock. The forward momentum pays off as Glasgow infringe at the breakdown again. Keatley knocks the penalty over from 30 metres out.

TRY MUNSTER!

Peter O’Mahony crashes over despite the attentions of three Warriors defenders. It is his first Pro 12 try of the reason and just reward for the home team as they bravely opted for a line-out rather than a kick at goal.

18-6: Keatley’s last task of the half is to convert his second conversion, which he duly does. Looking good for Munster.

Munster took a while to get into the encounter but have exerted their influence over a team in decent form of late. Sherry, O’Driscoll and O’Mahony have been the driving forces but O’Callaghan pleased all and sundry with an assist for the O’Dea try.

HALF-TIME.

Word from a demure George Hook on the sidelines at Musgrave:

Glasgow didn’t seem interested in the first half. They are not really in it physically and showed little initiative in the backline.

KICK-OFF: Keatley gets us started.

TRY GLASGOW!

Munster 18-11 Glasgow: Out of nowhere Hogg outstrips O’Dea then Mafi to score in the left corner. The Scottish international started on the halfway line but took a deep breath and scored a super solo try. Jackson hits the post with his conversion attempt.

Munster 21-11 Glasgow: Good work from Donncha Ryan at the restart and Owens penalises Glasgow for offside. Keatley’s kick is straight down the middle.

TRY GLASGOW!

Munster 21-16 Glasgow: It’s that man Hogg again. The centre provides a fine supporting run for Aramburu who sets him up for a dart from 15 metres out. He solves the Zebo problem and crashes over. Jackson misses another conversion. Crucial errors in kicking there but Warriors are right back in this.

Brainless stuff from the Scottish side as they give away another penalty. Reprieve comes in the form of a bad Keatley penalty miss.

Luke O’Dea pounces for his first-half try. (©INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan)

Munster 24-16: Mick O’Driscoll opted for a kick to touch with a penalty awarded 40 metres out but lets Keatley go for posts when the Warriors penalty count hits 10. The out-half makes a better connection to put his side eight points clear.

Munster 24-19 Glasgow: Duncan Weir takes over the kicking duties after entering the field of play. He gets an easy penalty right in front of the posts and converts it. The visitors will fancy a winning surge in the final 20 minutes.

Munster 27-19 Glasgow: How frustrating must it be watching this from Glasgow – or in a Warriors jersey at Musgrave park? Another penalty conceded for piling brainlessly and illegally into a ruck. Keatley has got his mojo back and adds three points.

Munster 27-22 Glasgow: Marcus Horan knocks on and Munster cough up a penalty when scrapping for the loose ball. Weir knocks it over from 35 metres out.

The creaking Glasgow scrum caves in and offers Keatley a kickable chance from the right flank. His effort gets an ‘E’ for erroneous as it swerves left and wide.

YELLOW-CARD: Warriors winger Aramburu gets a 10-minute seat on a sideline school-chair for not rolling away after hauling down Jones.

Munster 30-22 Glasgow: 10 minutes left on the clock and Keatley tips Munster eight ahead again. The kick followed Aramburu’s ill-advised anaconda-clutch on Jones. A man advantage and a healthy lead should be enough for Tony McGahan’s men.

TMO: Conor Murray picked and lept over after a Zebo sprint but he may have been taken out of play …

TRY MUNSTER!

Munster 35-22 Glasgow: The try is awarded and Murray has a rare score. Zebo was nice and greedy as he charged for the corner but Murray was on hand to clear up and touch down. Keatley misses the conversion from the left touchline.

O’Mahony has been excellent all evening and gets a great clearing kick in with the outside of his boot. He has drawn the attention of the entire Warriors back-row but he is not backing down and letting his opponents savour his minty-fresh breath.

Late push for a bonus try as Munster look to end on a high.

TRY GLASGOW!

Hogg gets rewarded for his efforts with a hat-trick as he picks the ball up from a hack up-field, following a Munster fumble, and holds off Jones to score.

Munster 35-29 Glasgow: Weir converts and the Warriors escape with a bonus point defeat. Munster are away to Scarlets next and will be happy to get back to winning ways.

FULL-TIME: The Munster pack – with notables O’Mahony, Ryan, Sherry and O’Driscoll – pilfered countless penalties to keep Glasgow at arm’s length. Munster will need one more win, at a minimum, to secure a top-four finish.

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