Munster record second win on the spin to start URC season in style
Reds continue to impress under Clayton McMillan as all roads are leading to Croke Park...and Leinster
Munster made it two wins from two UCL starts defeating Cardiff 23-20 at Thomond Park.
The win didn't come with a four-try bonus point while the Welsh side's 20 points total did as it comprised four unconverted tries.
But it proved the worth of Jack Crowley opting to kick a penalty and a drop-goal with his side's last two scores of the game, it proved to be the winning as opposed to the losing of the match.
"It's always great to win in Thomond," said the out-half after the game. "It is always great for us as a group to be able to come out here and represent everyone who showed up today despite the conditions and the storm in the country. It was important for us to put in a performance.
"Last week the starters put is in a really good position and we probably didn't see out the last 20 minutes the way we wanted, being clinical and disciplined. We were on it today for the most part and thankfully we won and put the learnings in."
Munster had handled the weather conditions well.
"I think that's down to the coaching staff having us prepped all week, going through the 'what ifs' about the conditions and the game plan. We were just prepared and whether it was first or second half we had a plan in place.
"We did have some time that was good but we probably didn't do it consistently through the 80 minutes so that's probably an improvement area for us but, overall, we are happy."
Cardiff had scored an opening try against the run of play - and while negotiating a sin-bin; their 14 men had a player, Josh Adams, completely unmarked, collecting and touching down a ball kicked to his wing.
Munster continued to labour five points adrift until the 29th minute when openside flanker Roughan Quinn scored out wide on the left.Credit to almost all of the Munster side as it had come from free-flowing rugby that touched both sides of the pitch, Ben O'Connor with one notable surge, and lots of fast skip-passing.Cardiff struck first in the second-half, Tom Bowen touching down.But Munster were able to get their noses in front in the 54th minute when Gavin Coombes barged over for one of his trademark close-in tries which, when Jack Crowley converted it, gave the home side a 12-10 lead.Before Cardiff struck again as Bowen made a spectacular catch and score out wide.Only for Munster to regroup and, taking a tap penalty five metres from the Cardiff line, Diamuid Barron crashed over and Munster were ahead again.Crowley added a penalty and a drop-goal to get them eight points in front before Bowen completed his hat-trick on full-time.
Munster: Ben O'Connor; Shane Daly, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Ethan Coughlan; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell capt, Oli Jager, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Thomas Ahern, Ruadhan Quinn, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron for Scannell 25, Josh Wycherley Loughman, Ronan Foxe for Jager 71, Jack O'Donoghue for Quinn 55, Brian Gleeson for F Wycherley 60, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Sean O'BrienCardiff: Jacob Beetham; Josh Adams, Harri Millard, Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Danny Southworth, Liam Belcher capt, Javan Sebastian, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Dan Thomas, Alun LawrenceReplacements: Daf Hughes for Belcher 45, Rhys Barratt for Southworth 55, Sam Wainwright Sebastian 66, Ben Donnell, Taine Basham, Aled Davies for Mulder 67, Ioan Lloyd for Sheedy 63, Steff Emanuel
