Overcoming a second half onslaught from Glasgow Warriors in Scotstoun this evening, Munster recorded another impressive away win, doing so in dramatic fashion with a 77th minute dropgoal from out half Ian Keatley.
Bursting out of the blocks, after the opening 10 minutes the Munstermen were out to a 10-0 lead through Andrew Conway and the boot of Keatley. But Rassie Erasmus will not have been happy with the opening half ill-discipline that presented Peter Horne with early penalty opportunities and ultimately reduced Munster to 14 men on 26 minutes. What will have pleased Erasmus however was his side’s resolve during those ten minutes, keeping the hosts scoreless with a defence that remained impenetrable all half.
The same could not be said on 60 minutes when Ali Price cut Munster open for Warriors’ first try and worse was to come minutes later when a loose kick ahead ended up in Mark Bennett putting the hosts ahead and on course, it seemed, for a return to winning ways in Scotstoun.
In fact, Munster scored just once in the entirety of the second half, but what a pivotal score it proved to be. With that never say die attitude of the province to the fore, Keatley stood up and kicked his side to victory with a 77th minute dropgoal.
An excellent opening from Munster with accurate passing, neat offloads and excellent lines of running saw them mount all the early pressure on their hosts. That pressure told initially by Warriors going offside in defence with Keatley getting Munster off the mark.
With Warriors struggling to get up to speed with their visitors, Munster took advantage, this time using their strong maul to get inside the 22. Playing with a penalty advantage, Keatley opted for the cross-field kick to the right wing and Darren Sweetnam did exceptionally well to knock the ball in the direction of Andrew Conway who crossed for his third try in two games with Keatley adding the extras.
Two subsequent penalties in as many minutes gave Horne the chance to eliminate most of the early deficit but the playmaker could only add the latter, making it a 10-3 game on the 20 minute mark.
However with the penalty count on the increase, Munster also earned their first yellow card of the current campaign when Dave Kilcoyne took out a lifter in the lineout. With the man advantage, Glasgow looked to make Munster pay via the lineout maul but Billy Holland soon neutralised that threat by legally coming through the middle and forcing the turnover.
As expected on the fast 4G surface, the game continued at a frenetic pace and Munster’s work rate and support lines saw them win most of the contestable aerial battles in the opening 40.
Keatley pulled a penalty effort across the posts on 32 minutes but he made amends just minutes later with an excellent long range effort that restored Munster’s ten point advantage, an advantage that they kept into the interval despite a late scare from a sublime Bennett break where the Munster cover defence did just enough to quell the threat.
It was all Warriors upon the resumption with Gregor Townsend’s men throwing everything they had at a Munster defence that held firm and won more than its fair share of turnovers.
That was until the 60 minute mark, when, it should have done far better. Breaking off a Warrriors lineout, scrum half Price had Munster at sixes and sevens as he danced over the line with Rory Clegg’s conversion making it a three point game with a quarter left to play.
With their tails up, the hosts struck again on 69 minutes. Claiming a Munster kick ahead in their own half, Warriors’ quick hands from left to right and a wonderful offload from Tommy Seymour released Bennett down the right wing and, unlike his opening half effort, the centre would not be denied on this occasion.
But Clegg’s missed conversion left Munster trailing by just two and smelling blood. Off they went in search of a penalty or dropgoal. The latter is what transpired.
As he has done in memorable games against Sale Sharks and Ulster in recent seasons, cometh the hour, cometh the man, Ian Keatley, who, after patient phase play from his teammates, showed a cool head to slot a drop goal from quite a distance out and seal the sweetest of wins for Munster.
Fittingly, on his 100th PRO12 appearance, Tommy O’Donnell was the one to kick out the ball as Munster showed that clinical edge when it mattered most and recorded their first win in Soctstoun in three years.
PRO12 round 10 round up: Munster’s fourth straight win in the campaign sees them remain top of the Guinness PRO12 standings with Te Aihe Toma making his competitive debut for the province.
Tommy O’Donnell made his 100th appearance of the PRO12, while from the academy ranks, Dan Goggin made his 5th appearance in the Championship.
Munster XV: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Ronan O'Mahony; Ian Keatley (Goggin 77), Duncan Williams (Toma 64); Dave Kilcoyne (Du Toit YC 26-36/78), Niall Scannell (Marshall 77), John Ryan (Archer 60), Jean Kleyn (D Ryan HT), Bill Holland; Peter O'Mahony – capt. (Copeland 56), Tommy O'Donnell, Jack O'Donoghue.
Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Thomas du Toit, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Robin Copeland, Te Aihe Toma, Dan Goggin, Alex Wootton.
Next Home Game:
Munster return to European action and welcome Leicester Tigers to Thomond Park next Saturday December 10th at 3.15pm.
Tickets can be bought online here or from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Thomond Park and Irish Independent Park – 061 421103.
Very limited stand tickets remain.
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