MUNSTER CAME OUT on top of an entertaining pre-season clash with the Barbarians on Saturday, winning 52-35 in front of 10,000 supporters at Thomond Park.
Diarmuid Barron, Joey Carbery, Brian Gleeson (two), Shay McCarthy, Josh Wycherley, Fineen Wycherley and Neil Cronin all crossed for Munster with Carbery kicking six conversions.
A lively first-half saw the score locked at 21-21 at the break after Barron, Carbery and Gleeson all scored, with Carbery converting all three tries.
Barron opened the scoring after five minutes, running home from distance after Jack Daly made the initial break from inside the Munster half.
Carbery then ran in Munster’s second try on 15 minutes before Nans Ducuing replied for the Barbarians.
A well-worked Munster lineout then saw academy back-rower Gleeson charge over to mark his first senior appearance for the province with a try. Gleeson was a late addition for Gavin Coombes, who pulled out of the starting team ahead of the game.
Aaron Shingler scored the Baa-Baas second try before the visitors added a third with a maul try.
Munster then pulled clear as they scored twice in the first three minutes of the second period, Gleeson bagging his second before winger Shay McCarthy got on the scoresheet.
A converted Josh Wycherley try then made it 42-21 before Lucas Tauzin replied for the Barbarians.
However Munster enjoyed a strong finish, with Fineen Wycherley and Neil Cronin scoring either side of a Kirby Myhill try for the Barbarians.
Earlier, the Munster women’s team were beaten 45-12 by the Barbarians in the curtain-raiser at Thomond Park.
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