Munster miss out on Junior Interprovincial title.

Munster lost a great chance of winning the Junior Inter Provincial title as Connacht snatched a dramatic one point win at Tanner Park, Ballincollig.

Munster 24, Connacht 25
Two tries in the final five minutes saw Connacht cause a major upset at Tanner Park as they defeated Munster by the narrowest of margins.

Munster can have no complaints about this result as they were outplayed for long periods and the visitors used the conditions to their advantage.

Both sides opted to play an expansive game and Connacht opted to run kickable penalty chances as they used the strong wind to keep Munster pined back in their own half.

Connacht opened the scoring on twenty seven minutes when Kevin Corcoran outpaced the Munster defence to touch down in the corner.

This score woke up Munster as they raised their game and were level four minutes later, when after a series of drives at the Connacht line Glen Deacon touched down.

Connacht were back in front shortly after, when a great break by Connacht out half Paddy Pearson set up Jordan Farringdon for a try which Pearson converted.

A penalty by Pearson on the stroke of half time left it 15-5 in favour of the Westerners.

Munster came out in the second half a changed side and within a minute they had the deficit down to three points when David Joyce got in for a try which Darragh Meade converted.

By the fifth minute of the second half Munster were in front when out half Meade got in for a try.

Midway through the second half a great break by substitute Diarmuid O’Connor setup a try for winger Barry Gibbons which Meade converted.

With the bonus point in the bag and news that Leinster were just edging their tie away to Ulster, the title looked like it was heading South, but Munster failed to close the game out.

Instead it was Connacht who threw caution to the wind and ran the ball at every opportunity to reduce Munster’s nine point advantage.

Connacht were rewarded for their endeavours when hooker Martin Lee touched down and than a minute from time Corcoran again showed his pace to touch down to give Connacht a single point advantage and so end Munster’s hopes of the championship.

Leinster made it three in a row with a 32-14 win over Ulster at Colraine.

Scorers Munster: Darragh Meade try, 2 cons, Glen Deacon, David Joyce, Barry Gibbons tries,

Connacht: Kevin Corcoran 2 tries, Jordan Farringdon, Martin Lee tries, Paddy Pearson con, pen.

Munster: J Martin (Newcastle West); D Joyce (Clonmel), S O’Brien (Old Christians), P O’Connor(Cashel), B Gibbons (St. Mary’s); D Meade (Kanturk), M Hickey (Cashel); D Hogan (St. Mary’s), D Fitzgerald (St. Mary’s), T Keaveny (Cobh Pirates); JJ Frahill (Cobh Pirates), P Ryan (Cashel) (c); G Deacon (Waterpark), B Wright (Kinsale).T Wright (do).

Replacements for Munster: J O’Sullivan (Kilfeacle & District) for Deacon 44, M Twohig (Kanturk) for Hickey 49, B Moloney (Cashel) for Ryan and T Downes (Kilrush) for Keaveny both 56, D O’Connor (Cashel) for O’Brien 58, M Clifford (Cobh) for Fitzgerald 70.

Connacht: K Higgins (Monivea) (c); T Lee (Corrib), J Farringdon (Sligo), J Culkin (Monivea), K Corcoran (Westport); P Pearson (Sligo), M Murphy (Ballina); A Bane (Corrib), M Lee (do), T Toolan (Ballina); A McNulty (Ballina), T McAuliffe (Castlebar); E Murphy (Castlebar), D Higgins (Corrib), E Rooney (Monivea).

Replacements for Connacht: D Prior (Sligo) for T Lee (32), C Hastings (Westport_) for Higgins and B Leahy (Sligo) for Prior both (53), E Cosgrove (Tuam) for Culkin 66, M Ward (Tuam) for McNulty and K Cox (Castlebar) for Toolan both 71.

Referee: R Kerr (IRFU)