MUNSTER HAVE THEIR first win of the new URC season, Clayton McMillan’s side building on the promising signs in last weekend’s defeat to Glasgow by delivering a more comprehensive, ruthless performance to record a bonus-point win against the Bulls.
This will be remembered as the night Charlie O’Shea announced himself to the Thomond Park faithful. O’Shea, 20, shot up the out-half queue after Jack Crowley and Tom Wood were ruled out of the first half of the season.
Having played for the Ireland U20s last year and impressed in a pre-season defeat to Leicester, O’Shea came off the bench against Glasgow last weekend before being handed his first start tonight.
By the end of an enthralling first half, he already looked born for it, supplying one gorgeous assist, scoring a try of his own and kicking two conversions.
In a fast and physical opening 40, O’Shea was the standout performer and as Munster looked to take control of the contest in the second half, he continued to be a driving force for his team.
And while O’Shea will get the headlines, this was a team performance full of intent, clever attacking play and hard work without the ball.
As they had against Glasgow seven days previously, Munster started brightly and enjoyed plenty of possession and territory across the opening stages.
Munster's Tom Ahern wins a lineout. Bryan Keane
Bryan Keane
And yet, 15 minutes in things were threatening to unravel. Having lost Fineen Wycherley to injury before kick-off, just six minutes in Clayton McMillan was forced into an early change, Michael Milne limping out as Jeremy Loughman came in for his first appearance of the season.
In those early minutes Munster had put together a sustained period of pressure in the Bulls 22, but lacked the killer touch.
Instead, 14 minutes in, it was the Bulls who struck first, Ruan Vermaak driving over as the visitors flexed their muscle from a lineout maul.
With the Bulls’ power game looking dangerous, Munster needed to make their moments count.
On their next visit to the Bulls 22, they did just that. With penalty advantage, O’Shea looked to his right and sent a booming high bomb toward the far corner. After what felt like an age, it dropped to Diarmuid Kilgallen, who did excellently to finish the score.
O’Shea stepped up to add an excellent conversion, before Kilgallen was replaced by Gordon Wood, the injury-plagued winger seemingly picking up an issue in scoring the try.
Charlie O'Shea celebrates his try. Bryan Keane
Bryan Keane
Munster built on that momentum with a big win at the scrum, as a fast-paced game started to open up.
O’Shea looked bright throughout, and just over half an hour in he added another moment of quality. The Cork native snapped into Curwin Bosch as the Bulls out-half tried to execute a kick, the ball whacking off O’Shea and flying back toward the tryline. A footrace ensued and O’Shea, just, won the battle to dot down. After catching his breath he clipped over an easy two to cap a fine start to his evening.
McMillan will have been frustrated to only see that lead last a matter of minutes. Craig Casey spooned a box-kick into the sky and as the players scrambled underneath, Shay McCarthy knocked-on. The Bulls kept possession at the scrum, and following good feet by former Munster man Thaakir Abrahams, Francois Klopper powered over, with Bosch converting.
Thaakir Abrahams joined the Bulls from Munster over the summer. Bryan Keane
Bryan Keane
The teams went in level at the break, with Munster surely feeling they could have taken more from the opening 40.
The visitors bagged the first points of the second half, Bosch kicking a penalty shortly after the restart, the opportunity arriving after the excellent Jeandre Rudolph forced a turnover at the breakdown. Even at this early juncture the next score felt crucial.
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Yet Munster continued to look the more capable side with ball-in-hand. O’Shea chipped a kick over the top, and after some hesitation around the bobbling ball Shane Daly broke free, only to be dragged down as he closed in on the tryline.
The Bulls were struggling to get out of their half, McCarthy forcing a five-metre lineout after a smart kick and chase.
A prime opportunity to strike, but Marnus van der Merwe’s throw missed the Munster jumper, and the Bulls were able to clear.
The chances kept coming, Bulls’ wing Sebastian de Klerk pinged for a deliberate knock-on, the penalty sending McMillan’s men back to corner. The time the lineout was clean, and after a strong Van der Merwe carry, Casey flicked the ball wide to O’Shea, who did well to finish under pressure.
Charlie O’Shea scores under pressure from Zak Burger. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The out-half sized up another testing conversion, but this time the kick sailed inches wide on the far side.
He kept trying to make things happen, sending an inviting kick wide for Tom Ahern, who just couldn’t keep the ball in play under pressure from two Bulls defenders.
The visitors could only hold out for so long, Alex Kendellen scoring after running a smart line off Casey. O’Shea converted and left the pitch to a standing ovation.
Not that the home support could enjoy the run-in. Having been starved of possession, the Bulls found themselves attacking space in the Munster 22 with penalty advantage, the move finished by Rudolph, who had worked tirelessly throughout. Bosch’s conversion swirled wide to leave it a four-point game approaching the final five minutes.
JJ Hanrahan, only on the pitch a matter of minutes, stepped up for his team, executing a brilliant 50/22. Kieran Brookes – a tighthead covering hooker – sent the lineout over the top and the Bulls gratefully retook possession.
Munster needed to keep the ball in the Bulls half, and Gordon Wood and Gavin Coombes released some pressure by combining to force a turnover on halfway. The Fields of Athenry rang out, Munster kept the ball off the scrum and went into their phase attack with two minutes left on the clock.
The Bulls were out of gas, Munster holding out to claim what feels a significant win in Limerick.
Munster scorers:
Tries – Kilgallen, O’Shea [2], Kendellen
Conversions – O’Shea [3/4]
Bulls scorers:
Tries– Vermaak, Klopper, Rudolph
Penalty – Bosch [1/1]
Conversions – Bosch [2/3]
21), Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Shay McCarthy; Charlie O’Shea (JJ Hanrahan, 69), Craig Casey (capt); Michael Milne (Jeremy Loughman, 6), Marnus van der Merwe (Kieran Brookes, 60), Jack Aungier (Ronan Foxe, 60); Tom Ahern, Evan O’Connell; Seán Edogbo (Gavin Coombes, 52), John Hodnett (Alex Kendellen, 56), Brian Gleeson (Seán Edogbo, 64-77 HIA).
BULLS: Hakeem Kunene; Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, Stravino Jacobs (Cheswill Jooste, 45), Thaakir Abrahams (Willie le Roux, 60); Curwin Bosch, Zak Burger (Paul de Wet, 65); Alu Tshakweni (Sti Sithole, 65), Juann Else (Janco Uys, 65), Francois Klopper (Khutha Mchunu, 65); Ruan Vermaak, Reinhardt Ludwig (F van Heerden, 65); Marcell Coetzee (capt) (Nizaam Carr, 71), Hanro Liebenberg, Jeandre Rudolph.
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Young out-half Charlie O'Shea stars as Munster power to bonus-point win against Bulls
Munster 26
Bulls 22
MUNSTER HAVE THEIR first win of the new URC season, Clayton McMillan’s side building on the promising signs in last weekend’s defeat to Glasgow by delivering a more comprehensive, ruthless performance to record a bonus-point win against the Bulls.
This will be remembered as the night Charlie O’Shea announced himself to the Thomond Park faithful. O’Shea, 20, shot up the out-half queue after Jack Crowley and Tom Wood were ruled out of the first half of the season.
Having played for the Ireland U20s last year and impressed in a pre-season defeat to Leicester, O’Shea came off the bench against Glasgow last weekend before being handed his first start tonight.
By the end of an enthralling first half, he already looked born for it, supplying one gorgeous assist, scoring a try of his own and kicking two conversions.
In a fast and physical opening 40, O’Shea was the standout performer and as Munster looked to take control of the contest in the second half, he continued to be a driving force for his team.
And while O’Shea will get the headlines, this was a team performance full of intent, clever attacking play and hard work without the ball.
As they had against Glasgow seven days previously, Munster started brightly and enjoyed plenty of possession and territory across the opening stages.
And yet, 15 minutes in things were threatening to unravel. Having lost Fineen Wycherley to injury before kick-off, just six minutes in Clayton McMillan was forced into an early change, Michael Milne limping out as Jeremy Loughman came in for his first appearance of the season.
In those early minutes Munster had put together a sustained period of pressure in the Bulls 22, but lacked the killer touch.
Instead, 14 minutes in, it was the Bulls who struck first, Ruan Vermaak driving over as the visitors flexed their muscle from a lineout maul.
With the Bulls’ power game looking dangerous, Munster needed to make their moments count.
On their next visit to the Bulls 22, they did just that. With penalty advantage, O’Shea looked to his right and sent a booming high bomb toward the far corner. After what felt like an age, it dropped to Diarmuid Kilgallen, who did excellently to finish the score.
O’Shea stepped up to add an excellent conversion, before Kilgallen was replaced by Gordon Wood, the injury-plagued winger seemingly picking up an issue in scoring the try.
Munster built on that momentum with a big win at the scrum, as a fast-paced game started to open up.
O’Shea looked bright throughout, and just over half an hour in he added another moment of quality. The Cork native snapped into Curwin Bosch as the Bulls out-half tried to execute a kick, the ball whacking off O’Shea and flying back toward the tryline. A footrace ensued and O’Shea, just, won the battle to dot down. After catching his breath he clipped over an easy two to cap a fine start to his evening.
McMillan will have been frustrated to only see that lead last a matter of minutes. Craig Casey spooned a box-kick into the sky and as the players scrambled underneath, Shay McCarthy knocked-on. The Bulls kept possession at the scrum, and following good feet by former Munster man Thaakir Abrahams, Francois Klopper powered over, with Bosch converting.
The teams went in level at the break, with Munster surely feeling they could have taken more from the opening 40.
The visitors bagged the first points of the second half, Bosch kicking a penalty shortly after the restart, the opportunity arriving after the excellent Jeandre Rudolph forced a turnover at the breakdown. Even at this early juncture the next score felt crucial.
Yet Munster continued to look the more capable side with ball-in-hand. O’Shea chipped a kick over the top, and after some hesitation around the bobbling ball Shane Daly broke free, only to be dragged down as he closed in on the tryline.
The Bulls were struggling to get out of their half, McCarthy forcing a five-metre lineout after a smart kick and chase.
A prime opportunity to strike, but Marnus van der Merwe’s throw missed the Munster jumper, and the Bulls were able to clear.
The chances kept coming, Bulls’ wing Sebastian de Klerk pinged for a deliberate knock-on, the penalty sending McMillan’s men back to corner. The time the lineout was clean, and after a strong Van der Merwe carry, Casey flicked the ball wide to O’Shea, who did well to finish under pressure.
The out-half sized up another testing conversion, but this time the kick sailed inches wide on the far side.
He kept trying to make things happen, sending an inviting kick wide for Tom Ahern, who just couldn’t keep the ball in play under pressure from two Bulls defenders.
The visitors could only hold out for so long, Alex Kendellen scoring after running a smart line off Casey. O’Shea converted and left the pitch to a standing ovation.
Not that the home support could enjoy the run-in. Having been starved of possession, the Bulls found themselves attacking space in the Munster 22 with penalty advantage, the move finished by Rudolph, who had worked tirelessly throughout. Bosch’s conversion swirled wide to leave it a four-point game approaching the final five minutes.
JJ Hanrahan, only on the pitch a matter of minutes, stepped up for his team, executing a brilliant 50/22. Kieran Brookes – a tighthead covering hooker – sent the lineout over the top and the Bulls gratefully retook possession.
Munster needed to keep the ball in the Bulls half, and Gordon Wood and Gavin Coombes released some pressure by combining to force a turnover on halfway. The Fields of Athenry rang out, Munster kept the ball off the scrum and went into their phase attack with two minutes left on the clock.
The Bulls were out of gas, Munster holding out to claim what feels a significant win in Limerick.
Munster scorers:
Tries – Kilgallen, O’Shea [2], Kendellen
Conversions – O’Shea [3/4]
Bulls scorers:
Tries– Vermaak, Klopper, Rudolph
Penalty – Bosch [1/1]
Conversions – Bosch [2/3]
21), Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Shay McCarthy; Charlie O’Shea (JJ Hanrahan, 69), Craig Casey (capt); Michael Milne (Jeremy Loughman, 6), Marnus van der Merwe (Kieran Brookes, 60), Jack Aungier (Ronan Foxe, 60); Tom Ahern, Evan O’Connell; Seán Edogbo (Gavin Coombes, 52), John Hodnett (Alex Kendellen, 56), Brian Gleeson (Seán Edogbo, 64-77 HIA).
BULLS: Hakeem Kunene; Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, Stravino Jacobs (Cheswill Jooste, 45), Thaakir Abrahams (Willie le Roux, 60); Curwin Bosch, Zak Burger (Paul de Wet, 65); Alu Tshakweni (Sti Sithole, 65), Juann Else (Janco Uys, 65), Francois Klopper (Khutha Mchunu, 65); Ruan Vermaak, Reinhardt Ludwig (F van Heerden, 65); Marcell Coetzee (capt) (Nizaam Carr, 71), Hanro Liebenberg, Jeandre Rudolph.
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)
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