Not willing to take a few hours out of the sun to watch rugby on the box?
Fear not, we’re here to talk you all the way through Munster’s Pro14 ‘quarter-final’ against Edinburgh.
There’s a semi-final clash against Leinster up for grabs, but it’s also a chance for the Thomond Park faithful to bid farewell to Simon Zebo, and for the players to get that bad day in Bordeaux out of their system.
Kick-off in Limerick is at 15.15, so you still have time to find a screen with TG4 or Sky Sports, re-apply that factor 30 and read Ryan Bailey’s big-game match report.
Here’s a reminder of the teams named by coaches Johann van Graan and Richard Cockerill yesterday.
After missing out on a starting place in the Champions Cup semi-final, Simon Zebo starts at fullback on what is sure to be an emotional day for the prolific Corkman.
JJ Hanrahan is preferred to Ian Keatley at out-half and Jack O’Donoghue is again ahead of Conor Oliver and Robin Copeland at openside.
Munster:
15. Simon Zebo
14. Andrew Conway
13. Sammy Arnold
12. Rory Scannell
11. Keith Earls
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Conor Murray
1. James Cronin
2. Rhys Marshall
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Billy Holland
6. Peter O’Mahony (Capt.)
7. Jack O’Donoghue
8. CJ Stander
Replacements:
16. Mike Sherry
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Ciaran Parker
19. Gerbrandt Grobler
20. Robin Copeland
21. James Hart
22. Ian Keatley
23. Darren Sweetnam
Edinburgh
15. Blair Kinghorn
14. Dougie Fife
13. Mark Bennett
12. Chris Dean
11. Duhan van der Merwe
10. Jaco van der Walt
9. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
1. Jordan Lay
2. Stuart McInally Capt.
3. Simon Berghan
4. Ben Toolis
5. Grant Gilchrist
6. Magnus Bradbury
7. Jamie Ritchie
8. Bill Mata
Replacements:
16. Neil Cochrane
17. Allan Dell
18. WP Nel
19. Lewis Carmichael
20 Cornell du Preez
21. Nathan Fowles
22. Duncan Weir
23. James Johnstone
Referee: Nigel Owens.
Here we go, folks. JJ Hanrahan kicks off.
Conor Murray hoists up an early contestable and Munster ounce on the messy bouncing ball.
In attack they’re making the effort to keep a high tempo, but rolling back to the right of the field, the error comes and Edinburgh try to play their way out.
Murray putting Sam Hidalgo-Clyne under a mount of pressure at the back of set-piece. He’s an imposing figure in every sense for a young 9 to come up against.
There’s just a bit of feeling eachother out here in the early exchanges. Both sides looking to make quick gains and the game is pretty fractured as a result… until JJ Hanrahan drops back a metre and drills a fine touchfinder into the Edinburgh 22.
Great spot to build pressure.
TRY! Munster 5 Edinburgh 0 (Marshall ’8)
“Bronntanas,” cries the TG4 commentator!
Stu McInally woefully over-throws his line-out and his opposite number storms onto the loose ball and doesn’t stop until he’s slamming the ball down over the line with three black shirts clinging on.
Hanrahan steps up and blasts over a brilliant conversion.
Munster 7 Edinburgh 0
Excellent line-break from Van der Merwe in midfield, the change of angle continually bamboozled the Munster’s tight 5 tacklers and he has Bennett on his shoulder to raid through the middle and into Munster’s 22.
Conor Murray gets a tackle on Bennett and Munster’s scramble D is good. They look in trouble as Edinburgh go wide nice and early, but Keith Earls shoots up and forces Gilchrist to carry back into contact. The error comes and Munster can work their way clear unscathed.
Ciaran Parker is an early replacement for Munster. Stephen Archer heads for the sideline.
Must say, didn’t see what the issue was for Archer, but it’s a blow for the hosts to lose him so early.
Andrew Conway is having a storming game on kick-chase duty. Continually affecting aerials and hounding catchers.
PENALTY! Munster 7 Edinburgh 3 (Hidaldo-Clyne ’19)
Edinburgh making hay in the sunshine now, and after another bright bit of footwork from Van der Merwe, they eke a penalty out of Cronin and SHC can trim the deficit again.
PENALTY! Munster 7 Edinburgh 6 (Hidalgo-Clyne ’24)
We’ve got a one-point ball-game.
Nigel Owens gives a second warning to the waterboys who have been roaming the field at any opportunity to dole out water.
Hot day, Nigel.
Big scrum from young Ciaran Parker there to win a penalty. Been a good response from Munster since SHC’s second penalty.
Hanrahan will shoot to extend the lead from the 10 metre line.
Hanrahan is…. wide of the park, sliced his shot slightly and she drifts right of the posts.
Another messy collision in the air, this time Conway comes off worse as Kinghorn wins the aerial collision and comes down on top of the Ireland international.
Very ouch.
Conway well shaken up by that clash and Darren Sweetnam is in. Another blow for the home side, who have only threatened from that overthrown Edinburgh line-out.
Simon Zebo doing his best to sprinkle a little magic on a pretty terrible spectacle. Gorgeous long pass left to right puts Sweetnam in space, his fellow Corkman grubbers into the space beyond and Edinburgh go from inside their 22.
Blair Kinghorn is too quick off the mark for Murray to keep up with and he leads the attack for Edinburgh. He’s caught by the 22, thankfully and Keith Earls pops up with a big tackle to force a turnover on the next phase.
This game is fractious in the extreme.
Munster haven’t been helped by the injuries to Conway and Archer, but they haven’t been able to keep a firm handle on this game in the tight or loose. Edinburgh look dangerous at times
Just as I write Conway as an injury, he’s back from passing a HIA. Hopefully Munster can do more with him than just sending Garryowens for him to chase.
HALF-TIME: Munster 7 Edinburgh 6
The first period ends, fittingly, with a knock-on.
Here’s the most threatening moment from Munster in that first-half, and it has them in a narrow lead at the interval.
The second half is off and running in Limerick.
Munster emerge without Andrew Conway, passed his HIA but then replaced at half-time.
TRY! Munster 12 Edinburgh 6 (Earls ’43)
MAGIC FROM ZEBO!!!
Oh my word. How we are going to miss this man.
A high pass is touched back by Zebo. He turns to regather and the second he faces the right way again, he can see two tight five forwards facing him. The Corkman chips the ball through almost like an overcooked solo and powers onto the loose ball. From there, he unleashes a beautiful skip pass all the way out to Keith Earls on the left flank and he never makes us doubt he has the pace to power into the corner.
The conversion is good too.
Munster 14 Edinburgh 6
That moment of Zebo magic has indeed inspired Munster to up the tempo. They’re taking the little wins in the contact zone now and building continuity.
PENALTY! Munster 17 Edinburgh 6 (Hanrahan ’51)
Here’s that magnifique game-breaking moment from Zebo.
PENALTY! Munster 17 Edinburgh 9 (Hidalgo-Clyne ’55)
Gerbrandt Grobler making his presence felt since coming on, fine clear-out to keep the ball alive for Munster.
But back come Edinburgh on the counter, that man Kinghorn makes big yardage again and Nathan Fowles evades Jack O’Donoghue long enough to reach the try-line.
TRY! Munster 17 Edinburgh 14 (Fowles ’59)
Van der Walt takes over kicking duties after the scrum-half change and he knocks over a beauty from the left and suddenly it’s a one-point game again.
Munster 17 Edinburgh 16
Edinburgh just won’t be shaken off.
Munster having to dig deep in defence again, Edinburgh still looking strong and making inroads in contact.
Mike Sherry coming in to aid the resistance.
Sherry’s first scrum is a monstrous one from Parker and Munster force the penalty to allow them alleviate pressure.
Back-to-back penalties go Munster’s way and Hanrahan takes on the pressure kick… and slots it.
PENALTY! Munster 20 Edinburgh 16 (Hanrahan ’73)
There’s a big boost for Munster. Weir attempts to drill in behind Earls, but the Ireland wing has his angles sorted and the ball flies over his head and out beyond the try-line.
Kinghorn continues to make Munster tacklers miss, he’s had a superb season for Edinburgh and Scotland. Time running out for the visitors and Munster are in the right part of the field to close this out.
Can they finish with a flourish though?
Last roll of the dice for Edinburgh, attacking from deep…
GG concedes a penalty just inside his own half and that roll of the dice is gaining momentum. Weir can kick to the corner and set up a grandstand finish.
Stolen!
Munster take the pill away and the crowd celebrates in relief.
FULL-TIME: Munster 20 Edinburgh 16
What a ride.
It was, of course, the greatest defensive line-out operator of them all Peter O’Mahony who was tossed up to steal that last Edinburgh ball.
Zebo can celebrate and all us neutrals can look forward to a mouthwatering Pro14 semi-final between the two traditional powerhouses on this island.
Leinster v Munster will kick off at 15.15 at the RDS on 19 May, seven days after Leinster’s Champions Cup clash with Racing.
Munster can rest up and ramp up for what will surely be an intense semi-final clash.
