Munster 40
Connacht 12
IT WAS TOUTED as an A team fixture but with over 20 Ireland internationals and a World Cup-winning Springbok involved, this was more akin to a senior pre-season friendly as Munster and Connacht warmed-up for the start of the 2020/21 Pro14 campaign next weekend.
Johann van Graan will be much the happier head coach after Munster used two completely different XVs for the two halves at Thomond Park and scored six tries in a convincing success.
Connacht used an extended squad of players too but never found their flow on this visit to Limerick, meaning Andy Friend will hope for much better in next weekend’s Pro14 opener against Glasgow back in Galway.
The experimental nature of the game was highlighted by both teams agreeing that sin-binnings would last only five minutes, meaning Connacht captain Jarrad Butler and Tommy O’Donnell didn’t have to wait long to get back on when they were yellow-carded in either half.
Rory Scannell, Rhys Marshall, Gavin Coombes, James Cronin, Niall Scannell, and Liam Coombes all scored tries as Munster prepared for next weekend’s visit to the Scarlets in Wales, while some of their exciting young academy players also got time off the bench.
Munster scored as early as the second minute after Chris Farrell regathered Ben Healy’s short kick-off and a fluid attacking passage followed, concluding with Rory Scannell breaking through tackle attempts from Tom Farrell and Eoghan Masterson to score, with Healy converting.
Their second try arrived three minutes later as hooker Marshall snuck down the right touchline off the back of a maul 10 metres out, catching Connacht wing John Porch off guard to finish in the corner.
Healy couldn’t convert from wide on the right and Connacht fired a response in the ninth minute as a nice link pass from second row Ultan Dillane sent out-half Jack Carty accelerating through a gap in the Munster defence to finish, though he missed the possible extras off the tee.
The lively opening quarter continued with Munster’s third try, with second row Gavin Coombes powering over from close-range as James Cronin latched on, allowing Healy to convert for 19-5.
The scoring rate settled thereafter but more pressure down in the Connacht 22 from Munster eventually resulted in loosehead prop Cronin showing strength to force his way over from a couple of metres out for a fourth try.
Healy’s conversion had Munster 26-5 to the good at the break but Connacht settled quicker in the second half as tighthead Finlay Bealham forced his way over from a metre out, with Paul Boyle and Jarrad Butler adding additional power to his carry.
With Connacht then making their own raft of changes, a scrappy 10-minute passage ensued but Munster weren’t finished scoring – hooker Niall Scannell crossing at the back of a maul from five metres out and JJ Hanrahan converting from the right-hand touchline.
Munster’s sixth was a beauty as Neil Cronin, Alex McHenry, Hanrahan, Damian de Allende, and Matt Gallagher all passed the ball in a slick lineout attack, leaving right wing Liam Coombes to beat Colm de Buitléar wide on the right in a strong finish, Hanrahan adding the extras again.
Munster scorers:
Tries: Rory Scannell, Rhys Marshall, Gavin Coombes, James Cronin, Niall Scannell, Liam Coombes
Conversions: Ben Healy [3 from 4], JJ Hanrahan [2 from 2]
Connacht scorers:
Tries: Jack Carty, Finlay Bealham
Conversions: Jack Carty [1 from 2]
MUNSTER (first half): Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Darren Sweetnam; Ben Healy, Craig Casey (Nick McCarthy ’40); James Cronin, Rhys Marshall, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Gavin Coombes; Tadhg Beirne, Jack O’Sullivan, Jack O’Donoghue (captain).
MUNSTER (second half): Matt Gallagher; Liam Coombes, Alex McHenry, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly (Jake Flannery ’57); JJ Hanrahan (Jack Crowley ’72), Neil Cronin (Nick McCarthy ’72); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley ’72), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne ’67), Stephen Archer (Roman Salanoa ’64); Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland (Tom Aherne ’72); Peter O’Mahony (captain) (Jack Daly ’72), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran (Oran McNulty ’60); Peter Sullivan (Colm de Buitléar ’51), Tom Farrell, Tom Daly (Sammy Arnold ’47), John Porch (Diarmuid Kilgallen ’54); Jack Carty (Conor Fitzgerald ’47), Kieran Marmion (Caolin Blade ’47); Paddy McAllister (Denis Buckley ‘HT), Dave Heffernan (Jonny Murphy ’57), Finlay Bealham (Dominic Robertson-McCoy ’49); Ultan Dillane (Quinn Roux ‘HT), Gavin Thornbury (Niall Murray ’54); Eoghan Masterson (Sean Masterson ‘HT), Jarrad Butler (captain) (Conor Oliver ’51), Paul Boyle.
