RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE Munster 19 Edinburgh 12: MUNSTER LEAPFROGGED above Edinburgh in the Magners League table last night with an unconvincing victory over the Scottish side at Musgrave Park.
Three penalties and a brace brace of tries by academy graduate Scott Deasy paved the way for the win despite some nervy moments early on.
Edinburgh battled well throughout and kept in touch thanks to the boot of David Blair, who knocked over four penalties, but lacked the cutting edge to force a try and in the end had to be content with a losing bonus point.
Munster came into the match on the back of 14 consecutive home victories but were almost caught out early on when Ian Dowling allowed the ball to bounce and Mark Robertson almost cashed in before knocking on.
The opening score of the game went Edinburgh’s way, a neat drop goal by David Blair on 12 minutes after a sustained period of pressure in the Munster half.
Munster then lost both Paul Warwick and Donncha Ryan to injury, and Niall Ronan was also forced off with a blood injury from which he never returned. Billy Holland, Tommy O’Donnell and Scott Deasy were all brought on and Munster’s bench was half-empty after just 15 minutes.
The changes affected Munster’s continuity and their biggest problem on the field was a faltering lineout. Denis Fogarty lost three in a row and Edinburgh rarely looked troubled. Passing in the backline was also an area of concern as replacement outhalf Deasy took time to settle in.
As soon as the set-piece was settled, however, Munster looked in business. A solid scrum platform midway inside the Edinburgh half saw a sustained period of pressure and Deasy barraged his way over from close range.
The Cork Con outhalf then missed the conversion and Munster found themselves behind again when Edinburgh forced another penalty off the restart which was tapped over by Blair.
Deasy missed another kickable penalty soon after, striking the upright from 25 metres out, but eventually landed his first successful kick on the half hour to give Munster a 6-5 lead.
Again Edinburgh attacked cause trouble off the restart. De Luca once more broke the line and forced the retreating defence into the concession of another penalty, which Blair knocked over.
Munster looked reasonably content to get into the half-time break trailing by just a point having suffered so much disruption early on.
Deasy continued to struggle with the boot early on in the second half and he went narrowly wide with another miss from long range.
Alan Quinlan was sent to the bin on 50 minutes for repeated foul play, and Blair extended Edinburgh’s lead with a well struck penalty. Deasy had another chance to cut the deficit, but once again he was off target, though he was successful with an easier attempt moments later.
And then a moment of brilliance by Deasy saw Munster regain the lead. The young flyhalf gathered the ball in space, chipped over the last defender and collected the ball for an outstanding individual try, spoiled somewhat by an awful conversion attempt.
Edinburgh rang the changes and substitute Simon Webster made a difference, threatening the home defence with his pace out wide, but Munster just about held out.
Deasy added another penalty to extend the home side’s advantage and despite losing Lifeimi Mafi to the bin late on, they held to record a hard-earned victory.
The successful return from injury of Marcus Horan was an added bonus.
MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett, L Mafi, J de Villiers, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; M Horan, D Fogarty, T Buckley; D Ryan (B Holland 14), M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, N Ronan (T O'Donnell 15), J Coughlan. Replacements: S Deasy for Warwick, B Holland for Ryan (both 14 mins), T O'Donnell for Ronan (15 mins), M Sherry for Fogarty, T Gleeson for Dowling (both 70 mins)
EDINBURGH: B Cairns; M Robertson, N De Luca, J Houston, T Visser (S Webster 70; D Blair, G Laidlaw; K Traynor, A Kelly, G Cross S MacLeod, J Hamilton; A MacDonald, R Grant, D Callam. Replacements: A Jacobsen for Traynor (45 mins), R Grant for Kelly, J Brugnaut for Cross, F McKenzie for Callam, C Hamilton for J Hamilton (all 60 mins)
Referee: T Hayes(Wales).
