CelticLeague/ Glasgow 32 Munster 10: Vandalism at Thomond Park and defeat at Hughenden. It has not been the best week for Munster, who, after defeating defending champions the Ospreys in round two, lost their unbeaten Celtic League record against Glasgow on Saturday night.
The match was overshadowed by what at first seemed a serious injury to Glasgow prop Euan Murray after a collision with Anthony Horgan. The big prop dropped to the ground and was gasping for breath, before having to be restrained by medics from both camps as an apparent seizure took hold.
Murray was rushed to the nearby Western Infirmary in Glasgow, where he was diagnosed with nothing more serious than concussion.
The game had been held up for 10 minutes while Murray writhed on the ground before he was in a state to be assisted off the pitch.
"It was a frightening incident, but thank goodness the player is all right. That, at least, is good news for rugby," said Munster coach Declan Kidney.
If that were not enough, Glasgow's replacement prop Stuart Corsar had to leave the field in the second half with damaged ribs, forcing coach Hugh Campbell to bring on hooker Fergus Thomson. In the interests of safety the referee ordered non-contested scrums, penalising, perhaps, Munster's powerful pack, but to be fair by that stage in the game, the result was not in doubt.
Glasgow were deserving winners on the back of a dynamic style of rugby that bodes well for this season. They totally outplayed Munster for the greater part of the match. "We conceded too many scores in the first 20 minutes," admitted Kidney.
"Glasgow defended well when they had to and looked sharp in taking their scoring opportunities. I'm not surprised they produced this kind of rugby, they were the top Scottish district last season."
Ronan O'Gara did taste action for the losers, coming on as a second-half replacement for Paul Burke. But not even the Irish and Lions outhalf could rescue Munster after they had trailed by 25-3 at the interval, although he did put pressure on the Glasgow defence with some clever kicks.
O'Gara, in fact, was outplayed by Dan Parks, the controversial choice by Matt Williams for the Scotland number 10 jersey last season, who kicked shrewdly and gave direction to a back line that looked genuinely sharp.
By contrast Munster looked a bit laboured behind the scrum and it was left to the forwards to provide the real threats, the best effort coming from flanker David Wallace, who just missed out on a try at the end of a spectacular kick-and-chase over 60 metres.
Glasgow had the game in their pocket almost from the kick-off. Flanker Steve Swindall grabbed an early try after some defensive confusion and with Parks converting and then adding two penalties the home team went 13-0 ahead.
A Burke penalty stopped the one-way flow of points but tries by Scotland wing Rory Lamont and flanker Andrew Wilson and a conversion by Parks effectively put the game beyond Munster.
Munster tried desperately to secure a try in a sustained period of pressure before the break but Glasgow's defence worked wonders to repel the attacks.
A penalty try, awarded against Glasgow for repeatedly dropping the scrum on their line, and the conversion by O'Gara provided a smidgin of hope, but in the final quarter Glasgow made sure of victory with a Parks-engineered try for wing Mike Roberts to cap victory with a bonus point.
GLASGOW: C Howarth; R Lamont, A Craig, S Barrow , M Roberts; D Parks, S Pinder; E Murray, S Lawson, L Harrison, T Barker, C Hamilton, S Swindall, A Wilson, P Dearlove. Replacements: S Corsar for Murray (seven mins); G Hayter for Dearlove (56 mins); F Thomson for Corsar (65 mins); G Morrison for Barrow (72 mins); D Turner for Barker (77 mins).
MUNSTER: S Payne; B Murphy, R Henderson, T Halstead, A Horgan; P Burke, F Murphy ; M Horan, F Sheahan, F Pucciarello, T Hogan, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy. Replacements: M Prendergast for Murphy, A Foley for Henderson, R O'Gara for Burke (all 40 mins); J Kelly for Horgan, D O'Callaghan for O'Driscoll (both 48 mins); T Buckley for Pucciarello (64 mins); J Flannery for Sheahan (72 mins)
Referee: N Owens (Wales)
