MUNSTER MAINTAINED their winning start to the season as Clayton McMillan tasted victory in his first game in charge at Thomond Park, but they were pushed all the way by a gutsy Cardiff side.
Cardiff had never won in 11 previous visits to Limerick, but they were full value for their two bonus points, which were achieved when 19-year-old winger Tom Bowen completed his hat-trick in the final play.
The sides were deadlocked at 5-5 at the end of a scrappy opening half where both sides failed to take chances.
Munster enjoyed plenty of early possession but found themselves 5-0 adrift after 14 minutes despite having an extra man after Cardiff lock Josh McNally was binned for a high hit on Shane Daly in a move which ended the Munster winger’s night.
The move in which he was injured ended with centre Dan Kelly being judged to have been stopped just short by a fine tackle from Josh Adams when it seemed his momentum had taken him over after a superb crossfield kick from man of the match Jack Crowley.
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The experienced Welsh winger then made an impact at the other end when Cardiff, despite being down a man, were rewarded for their bravery for tapping a penalty in front of the posts before a neat grubber from Callum Sheedy put Adams through to score on the right.
Munster eventually got back on level terms 11 minutes from the break with a good right-to-left move with some excellent flat passing, stretching the defence with Thaakir Abrahams getting the final pass away for Ruadhan Cooke to score his third Munster try in the left corner, which Crowley was unable to convert.
That should have been the catalyst for Munster to take charge, but it was Cardiff who finished the half strongly. Sheedy was wide with a 40-metre penalty, and then, after Gavin Coombes was binned for hands in the ruck in front of his posts, the Welsh opted for the scrum but made a mess of the move.
But they got it right shortly after the restart with Sheedy twice flicking the ball along the line to prise open the Munster defence and Bowen scored in the left corner to make it 10-5.
Coombes made an immediate impact on his return from the bench, managing to stay upright for the support to push him over for his 51st Munster try after they had tapped a penalty from close range.
Crowley’s conversion put Munster in front for the first time, but Cardiff hit back with a quality try. Munster’s blitz defence kept Cardiff at bay, but then Sheedy showed great hands to control the ball initially and then flick it wide with the boot for Bowen to dive in, secure the ball and go over for an excellent try.
Munster hit back from the restart with Crowley’s excellent kick giving them a platform, which forced a turnover and another tapped penalty produced another try with replacement hooker Diarmuid Barron getting over in the right corner.
Crowley was again unable to negotiate the swirling wind, but he added a penalty in front of the posts to stretch the lead.
And he sealed the win when he put eight between them with a drop goal, but Munster never looked like snatching a bonus point in the closing minutes, and it was Cardiff who secured two bonus points when Bowen scored in the left corner despite the best efforts of Jack O’Donoghue.
Scorers: Munster: Tries: R Quinn, G Coombes, D Barron. Con: J Crowley (1 from 3). Drop goal: Crowley.
Cardiff: Tries: T Bowen (3), J Adams. Cons: C Sheedy (0 from 2), J Beetham (0 from 1), Ioan Lloyd (0 from 1)
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shane Daly (Sean O’Brien 10), Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley (Tony Butler 77), Ethan Coughlan (Paddy Patterson 54); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley 57), Niall Scannell (c) (Diarmuid Barron 25-38, 40), Oli Jager (Ronan Foxe 71); Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley (Brian Gleeson 60); Thomas Ahern, Ruadhan Quinn (Jack O’Donoghue 55), Gavin Coombes.
Cardiff: Jacob Beetham; Josh Adams, Harri Millard (Steff Emanuel 73), Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen; Callum Sheedy (Ioan Lloyd 62), Johan Mulder (Aled Davies 67); Danny Southworth (Rhys Barratt 55), Liam Belcher (c) (Daf Hughes 46), Javan Sebastian (Sam Wainwright 66); Josh McNally, Teddy Williams; Alex Mann (Taine Basham 59), Dan Thomas (Ben Donnell 59), Alun Lawrence.
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Munster edge Cardiff in Clayton McMillan's first game in charge at Thomond Park
Munster 23
Cardiff 20
John Fallon reports from Thomond Park
MUNSTER MAINTAINED their winning start to the season as Clayton McMillan tasted victory in his first game in charge at Thomond Park, but they were pushed all the way by a gutsy Cardiff side.
Cardiff had never won in 11 previous visits to Limerick, but they were full value for their two bonus points, which were achieved when 19-year-old winger Tom Bowen completed his hat-trick in the final play.
The sides were deadlocked at 5-5 at the end of a scrappy opening half where both sides failed to take chances.
Munster enjoyed plenty of early possession but found themselves 5-0 adrift after 14 minutes despite having an extra man after Cardiff lock Josh McNally was binned for a high hit on Shane Daly in a move which ended the Munster winger’s night.
The move in which he was injured ended with centre Dan Kelly being judged to have been stopped just short by a fine tackle from Josh Adams when it seemed his momentum had taken him over after a superb crossfield kick from man of the match Jack Crowley.
The experienced Welsh winger then made an impact at the other end when Cardiff, despite being down a man, were rewarded for their bravery for tapping a penalty in front of the posts before a neat grubber from Callum Sheedy put Adams through to score on the right.
Munster eventually got back on level terms 11 minutes from the break with a good right-to-left move with some excellent flat passing, stretching the defence with Thaakir Abrahams getting the final pass away for Ruadhan Cooke to score his third Munster try in the left corner, which Crowley was unable to convert.
That should have been the catalyst for Munster to take charge, but it was Cardiff who finished the half strongly. Sheedy was wide with a 40-metre penalty, and then, after Gavin Coombes was binned for hands in the ruck in front of his posts, the Welsh opted for the scrum but made a mess of the move.
But they got it right shortly after the restart with Sheedy twice flicking the ball along the line to prise open the Munster defence and Bowen scored in the left corner to make it 10-5.
Coombes made an immediate impact on his return from the bench, managing to stay upright for the support to push him over for his 51st Munster try after they had tapped a penalty from close range.
Crowley’s conversion put Munster in front for the first time, but Cardiff hit back with a quality try. Munster’s blitz defence kept Cardiff at bay, but then Sheedy showed great hands to control the ball initially and then flick it wide with the boot for Bowen to dive in, secure the ball and go over for an excellent try.
Munster hit back from the restart with Crowley’s excellent kick giving them a platform, which forced a turnover and another tapped penalty produced another try with replacement hooker Diarmuid Barron getting over in the right corner.
Crowley was again unable to negotiate the swirling wind, but he added a penalty in front of the posts to stretch the lead.
And he sealed the win when he put eight between them with a drop goal, but Munster never looked like snatching a bonus point in the closing minutes, and it was Cardiff who secured two bonus points when Bowen scored in the left corner despite the best efforts of Jack O’Donoghue.
Scorers: Munster: Tries: R Quinn, G Coombes, D Barron. Con: J Crowley (1 from 3). Drop goal: Crowley.
Cardiff: Tries: T Bowen (3), J Adams. Cons: C Sheedy (0 from 2), J Beetham (0 from 1), Ioan Lloyd (0 from 1)
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shane Daly (Sean O’Brien 10), Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley (Tony Butler 77), Ethan Coughlan (Paddy Patterson 54); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley 57), Niall Scannell (c) (Diarmuid Barron 25-38, 40), Oli Jager (Ronan Foxe 71); Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley (Brian Gleeson 60); Thomas Ahern, Ruadhan Quinn (Jack O’Donoghue 55), Gavin Coombes.
Cardiff: Jacob Beetham; Josh Adams, Harri Millard (Steff Emanuel 73), Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen; Callum Sheedy (Ioan Lloyd 62), Johan Mulder (Aled Davies 67); Danny Southworth (Rhys Barratt 55), Liam Belcher (c) (Daf Hughes 46), Javan Sebastian (Sam Wainwright 66); Josh McNally, Teddy Williams; Alex Mann (Taine Basham 59), Dan Thomas (Ben Donnell 59), Alun Lawrence.
Referee: Griffin Colby (South Africa).
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