Staunton Kicks Munster to Victory

Jeremy Staunton held his nerve in Thomond Park on Friday night to kick an injury-time penalty, to give Munster a 22-21 win over the Celtic Warriors.

Jeremy Staunton held his nerve in Thomond Park on Friday night to kick an injury-time penalty, to give Munster a 22-21 win over the Celtic Warriors.

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Staunton held his nerve when landing the winning penalty into a howling wind from just outside the Warriors 22 after the Welsh went offside. Munster, who leapfrogged their opponents in the table, ran down the clock before the game ended in a bizarre fashion. Warriors legend Neil Jenkins kicked the ball away in anger after his side was penalised in a ruck only to flatten Scottish referee Andrew Ireland accidentally in the process. Munster opened brightly with Staunton landing an early penalty and then converting Mike Mullins’ 15th try for a 10-0 lead. The Warriors hit back on the half-hour with a well-constructed try scored by prop Phil Booth near the posts and Jenkins converted for 10-7. Staunton and Jenkins exchanged penalties to leave Munster 13-10 in front at the break and playing into the strong wind. Within 90 seconds of the re-start the Warriors levelled with a Jenkins penalty only for Staunton to edge in front again with another kick. But that advantage lasted only a few minutes, when Shaun James set up powerful wing Aisea Havili for the Warriors’ second try which Jenkins was unable to convert. Now 18-16 adrift, Munster nipped in front once more with a Staunton penalty after 53 minutes. Yet three minutes later Jenkins edged the Warriors back in front at 21-19. That was the way it stayed until Staunton emerged as the Munster hero with his dramatic late penalty and completed a 17-point haul.

Scorers:

Munster (22) Try: Mullins Cons: Staunton Pens: Staunton (5)

Warriors (21) Tries: Havili, Booth Cons: N Jenkins Pens: N Jenkins (3)

Teams:

Munster:

15 Dominic Crotty 14 Martin McPhail 13 Mike Mullins 12 Jason Holland 11 Mossy Lawlor 10 Jeremy Staunton 9 Eoin Reddan 1 Simon Kerr 2 Andy Lony 3 Frank Roche 4 Trevor Hogan 5 Stephen Keogh 6 Denis Leamy 7 Colm McMahon 8 Jim Williams (Capt)

Replacements: 16 Eugene McGovern 17 James Blaney 18 Donal Sheehan 19 Tom Hayes 20 Frank Murphy 21 Conrad OSullivan 22 Clem Casey.

Warriors:

E. Lewis, Wyatt, S. James, L. Thomas, Havili, N. Jenkins, John, Booth, Rees, Horsman, D. Jones, Budgett, M. Lewis, Parks, Harris.

Replacements: Balshen, Morris, Halford, Molitika, Chiltern, Nuthall, Musto.

Final Score:

Munster 22 Celtic Warriors 21