Match Report: Munster Rugby 21-20 Ulster Rugby

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
ADM
Initiate
Posts: 532
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 7:08 pm

Match Report: Munster Rugby 21-20 Ulster Rugby

Post by ADM »

[tag=image]http://www.munsterrugby.ie/images/conte ... est-02.gif[/tag][tag=content]Ulster suffered only their second defeat of this season’s Guinness Pro12 campaign after losing 21-20 to interprovincial rivals Munster in a fantastic derby game at Thomond Park.

Despite going 12-0 up after twenty minutes, the visitors could only watch as their hosts seized the momentum and scored 21 unanswered points through tries from Robin Copeland and Duncan Williams.

Ian Keatley surpassed 1,000 points in the Pro12, the third player to achieve this feat, and went on to score 11 points from the kicking tee in a win that takes Munster top of the table, at least until the Ospreys play Leinster.

A late Nick Williams try had Munster worried, but Ian Humphreys missed the crucial conversion and the Limerick side held out for four vital points.

Before the game there was a minute’s silence for Ulster and Irish legend Jack Kyle, who sadly passed away on Friday morning, which was well respected by fans, players and coaches alike. A fitting tribute for one of Ireland’s greats.

Once the game began however, there was no such mutual respect. An early surging run from Stuart McCloskey gave Ulster excellent field position and Humphreys took advantage by slotting over a second minute penalty.

Gerhard van den Heever nearly hit back straight away, as he was just tackled short of the line after a promising run down the touchline, but the South African did win a penalty for his efforts.

Ian Keatley could not capitalise like Humphreys did, pulling his effort wide of the uprights, and the hosts were to be punished for that miss as Humphreys landed two penalties soon after to give the visitors a 9-0 lead after thirteen minutes.

Indeed, it was the men from Belfast who were very much in the ascendancy with more territory, possession and a stronger scrum to boot, and it was no real surprise when Humphreys succeeded with a fourth penalty midway through the half.

Despite being 12-0 down, the Munster crowd were still at their ferocious best and they were rewarded for their support in the 23rd minute when Ian Keatley finally got the home side on the board with a penalty, which also brought up his milestone.

Munster’s fightback continued as a break from Ronan O’Mahony took them into the Ulster 22, and from there the ball was moved wide and the overlap was there for Robin Copeland to cross to make it 12-8 after half an hour.

By now the game was really descending into a typical interpro, with players squaring up to each other frequently – Louis Ludik and Robin Copeland guilty after the latter couldn’t hold onto a pass from Ian Keatley.

And just before half-time, the hosts were guilty of passing up a glorious opportunity to take the lead for the first time as the increasingly impressive van den Heever broke through again, only for Keatley’s final pass to evade three men free on the wing.

After the break it was more of the same with Munster pressing and, after several close calls, Duncan Williams spotted the gap on the blindside and shrugged off the tackle of Paul Marshall to score in the corner.

Munster by now were firmly on top, with their driving maul dominant, and Ian Keatley was on hand to profit from one of those to land a second penalty and extend Munster’s lead to 18-12 after 51 minutes.

It took him another three minutes to take that lead out to 21-12 after Sean Reidy was guilty of not releasing the ball, and Munster had now scored 21 unanswered points in the game.

The crowd were raucous, and they were up on their feet celebrating a Keatley drop goal halfway through the second half, only for the ball to drift at the end and sail wide.

Shortly after the 60 minute mark Ulster showed what they were capable of. A prolonged attack that slowly worked its way up the field showed great promise, however superb work from substitute Tommy O’Donnell forced a turnover for the home side.

It summed up Ulster’s night, and it could have been a whole lot worse five minutes later had JJ Hanrahan managed to ground Ian Keatley’s stab kick through before he slid over the dead ball line.

Keatley then hit the post with another shot at goal with twelve minutes to play and it seemed like there was no way back for Neil Doak’s men.

However, a yellow card for Stephen Archer, who was only on the field a matter of minutes, suddenly gave Ulster renewed hope, and Humphreys maintained his perfect record off the tee to take the score to 21-15 with eight minutes to play.

It set up a very nervy finish and the visitors pressed late on, desperately searching for the try that would win them the game and they thought they had it through Roger Wilson, only for TMO Kevin Beggs to deny them the score.

Yet in controversial circumstances, Ulster did manage to score a try at the death.

Referee Ian Davies went to the TMO again and even though it looked like Nick Williams may have been held up the try was given anyway, but Ian Humphreys missed the crucial conversion that would have given the visitors the win.

It left Ulster to barrage the Munster defensive line in overtime searching for that penalty that might give them the win, but ultimately they were unsuccessful and Munster held on for the win.

The scorers

For Munster
Tries: Copeland, Williams
Con: Keatley
Pens: Keatley (3)

For Ulster
Try: Williams
Pens: Humphreys (5)

MUNSTER RUGBY
(15-9) JJ Hanrahan (Felix Jones 70), Ronan O’Mahony, Pat Howard (Andrew Smith 28), Denis Hurley, Gerhard van den Heever, Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; (1-8) John Ryan (Dave Kilcoyne 49), Duncan Casey, BJ Botha (Stephen Archer 68), Donncha O’Callaghan, Billy Holland, Robin Copeland (Tommy O’Donnell 49), Paddy Butler (BJ Botha 77), CJ Stander.

Subs not used: Kevin O’Byrne, Sean Dougall, Neil Cronin.
Yellow card: Stephen Archer (70)

ULSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Stuart Olding (Peter Nelson 41c), Louis Ludik (Peter Nelson 64), Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy, Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall (Michael Heaney 56); (1-8) Callum Black (Andrew Warwick 60), Rory Best (Rob Herring 64), Wiehahn Herbst (Declan Fitzpatrick 60), Alan O’Connor (Lewis Stevenson 59), Franco van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Sean Reidy (Robbie Diack 60), Nick Williams.

Subs not used: Michael Allen

Man of the Match: Robin Copeland (Munster)
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)

c – concussion replacement
sb – sin bin replacement[/tag]
Post Reply