Munster cruise into cup quarter-finals
27
0
Munster failed to secure a bonus point win and had to suffice with three tries in this easy win, and today they will be banking on a Nottingham victory which would see the Irish side retain their position at the top of the group.
The worst case scenario is that they will finish second and play an away fixture in the last eight.
Munster cruised into a 20 points lead after dominating the opening half in virtually all sectors. They almost conceded one try midway through the period but otherwise looked comfortable in everything they did.
They dominated at scrum and line out time, had a prolific ball winner in South African signing Gerbrandt Grobler and try scorer supreme in lively hooker Mike Sherry.
Apart from the occasional lapse in concentration, they did all the simple things right, going for tries and goal kicks when appropriate. Accordingly, they never panicked in their quest to ultimately take the spoils.
Sherry scored his tries in the 18th and 36th minutes, while Bill Johnston added both conversions and kicked two penalties to secure that big lead at the break.
Munster were not so clever in the early stages of the second half and conceded no less than five penalties in succession in 12 minutes, more than twice their first half total.
But they recovered from that poorish spell and midway through the half grabbed their third try from Gavin Coombes with out-half Johnston adding the conversion for a 27-0 lead. Still, their overall second half display was far short of the first against a much better organised visiting side.
R O’Mahony; C Nash, S Daly, D Johnston (C), S Fitzgerald; B Johnston, J Hart; J Loughman, M Sherry, B Scott; F Wycherley, G Grobler; S O’Connor, C Oliver, G Coombes.
D O’Callaghan for O’Connor, D Goggin for D Johnston (both 48), D Casey for Sherry, J Poland for Hart (both 57), C Fitzgerald for B Johnston (62).C Parker for Loughman, S McCarthy for Grobler (both 66),.
C Evans; J Gatt, J Thomas, C Carson, J Baker; L Price (captain), M Aubrey; R Jenkins, L Davies, R Henry; M Dodd, K Martin; J Cole, J Tomalin-Reeves, M Morris.
J Ratti for Dodd (44), J Pope for Martin, H Morgan for Aubrey (both 60), H Gustafson for Jenkins, M Walsh Henry, A Claypole for Gatt (all 70).
Referee. N Chivers (England)
n Meanwhile, the venues and times for the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools senior and junior cups have been announced.
Presentation Brothers College and Ardscoil Rís meet in the junior cup at Musgrave Park on Tuesday next (2pm). On Wednesday, there is a double header at the University of Limerick 4G venue with the juniors of Glenstal Abbey and St Clement’s meeting at 1pm and the senior teams of St Munchin’s and Ardscoil Rís playing at 2.30pm. On Thursday, there is another senior game between Rockwell and Castletroy College at Clanwilliam (2.30pm).
