Munster 28

Scarlets 10

JOEY CARBERY SHONE brightly in his first start in 14 months as Munster claimed a fifth win in a row two weeks out from the PRO14 final.

Carbery kicked a perfect four conversions and created a wonderful try for Shane Daly in the first-half, as Johann van Graan’s side impressed against the ill-disciplined Welsh outfit.

Gavin Coombes started them off with a powerful finish after 19 minutes, before Daly, Niall Scannell and Kevin O’Byrne made sure of the full haul at a wind and rain battered Thomond Park.

As a result of the wintery conditions the early stages featured plenty of kicking for territory, with Carbery catching the eye.

The Munster maul proved to be a potent weapon and they came close off a driving lineout after 17 minutes, but Niall Scannell was held up after the crossed the line. And from the five-metre scrum that followed Gavin Coombes did well to retain possession, and a few phases later the No 8 crashed over for his ninth try of the campaign.

Munster's Kevin O'Byrne scores a try. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Angus O’Brien made it 7-3 from the tee after Daly blocked a runner, but 14 minutes from half-time Carbery exploded into action. He fielded a box-kick inside his own half, took off on a mazy linebreak, before he sent Daly through a hole for Munster’s second try. Carbery’s conversion made it 14-3.

Following a lengthy stoppage Fineen Wycherley was stretchered off after 29 minutes after a collision at the breakdown, but Munster continued to dominate. Following the concession of an eighth team penalty Aaron Shingler was sin-binned a minute from half-time, and Scannell steered a maul over for a 21-3 lead at the break.

A second Scarlets yellow card was earned by replacement Tevita Ratuva when collapsed a maul just before the hour mark, and O’Byrne took the chance and mauled over the bonus point try for the home side. Carbery continued his perfect record with a fourth conversion before he was hauled ashore after an hour.

Munster signed off on the win with a couple of excellent defensive mauls that forced turnovers, before James Cronin was sin binned in the 82^nd minute, and Steff Evans scored in the final play for Scarlets.

🎥 Our second try was a beauty as @JoeyCarbery went on a jinking run before releasing @ShaneDaly96 to finish 😍😍😍#MUNvSCA #GuinnessPRO14 #SUAF 🔴pic.twitter.com/gLLeHweZSS

— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) March 12, 2021

Scorers
Munster

Tries: G Coombes, S Daly, N Scannell, K O’Byrne

Conversions: J Carbery (4/4)

Scarlets

Try: S Evans

Conversions: A O’Brien (1/1),

Penalties: A O’Brien (1/1)

Munster: Mike Haley (Darren Sweetnam ’52); Calvin Nash, Damien de Allende, JJ Hanrahan, Shane Daly (Paddy Patterson ’66); Joey Carbery (Jack Crowley ’61), Nick McCarthy; James Cronin (Jeremy Loughman ’52), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne ’52) (Scannell ’68, HIA) (Cronin’77, HIA), Stephen Archer (John Ryan ’52); Jean Kleyn (Thomas Ahern ’60), Billy Holland (C); Fineen Wycherley (Alex Kendellen ’29), Jack O’Sullivan, Gavin Coombes.

Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl (Johnny Williams ’43); Tom Prydie, Tyler Morgan (Paul Asquith ’63), Steff Hughes (C), Steff Evans; Angus O’Brien, Dane Blacker (Will Homer ’61); Steffan Thomas (Kemsley Mathias ’52), Marc Jones (Taylor Davies ’52), Pieter Scholtz (Alex Jeffries ’52), Morgan Jones (Tevita Ratuva ’54), Sam Lousi, Aaron Shingler (Uzair Cassiem ’60), Jac Morgan, Sione Kalamafoni.

Referee: S Gallagher (IRFU).