Munster young guns sink Sharks

Munster 19 Sale Sharks 17

There were whispers on the terraces he was present, but the main interest centred on the performances from Tony McGahan’s young guns.

Team management and fans must have been satisfied with a productive display that kicked-off the new season on a very positive note.

The fixture attracted a crowd of over 6,000 and for a Munster team featuring so many development players that was an achievement in itself.

Munster coach Tony McGahan used all of the 25 players in an enlarged squad, mostly academy players, and they did him proud with a totally committed and skilful display.

Sure, they had to hang on in the finish when a much more experienced Sale Sharks side, led from the front by seasoned English international out half Charlie Hodgson, nearly surged in for an injury-time try, but Munster deserved to win.

Young full-back Scott Deasy was one of the stars alongside the experienced Paul Warwick and Jeremy Manning, and coach Tony McGahan was delighted. “He had a great debut, but so did many of the players out there tonight; there were 19 guys from the 25 out there playing a senior game for the first time; I think they enjoyed themselves and they got the result they deserved,” said the coach.

Deasy almost conjured up an early try for winger Danny Riordan who only missed the target a couple of yards out when pushed into touch and, after Sale Sharks took a surprising lead after 13 minutes with a high quality try from centre Chris Bell, converted by Hodgson, Deasy provided the spark for an instant retort.

The young number 15 caught a ball in midfield and scythed through the Sale defence, cleverly linked inside with scrum half Toby Morland and Billy Holland was the final link to send Ian Nagle in for a try. Jeremy Manning converted before kicking penalties in the 21st, 32nd and 40th minutes to give Munster a nine-point buffer at the break.

But Deasy wasn’t the only one to make his mark in a game that was always absorbing. Morland and Manning were involved in all the good moves of the first half and took advantage of some excellent work by the Munster pack, mainly through Williams, Holland and Nagle.

Sale managed to pick up the pace in the second half and hit back with a try from Nick MacLeod, a conversion and drop goal from Charlie Hodgson to edge them into a 17-16 advantage by the 62nd minute.

Manning, however, appears to have strengthened his kicking technique during the summer and nonchalantly knocked over another long-range penalty with 12 minutes to go to restore the Munster lead, one they kept despite that late Sale pressure.

The downside of an otherwise very positive evening was the knee injury suffered by back rower Nick Williams in the 55th minute. The Kiwi could now be out of action for at least a number of weeks.

MUNSTER: S Deasy, D Riordan, T Gleeson, P Warwick (captain), D Barnes; J Manning, T Morland; D Ryan, D Varley, S Archer; B Holland, I Nagle; N Williams, T O’Donnell, K Essex.

Replacements: J. Brugnaut for Archer, E. Grace for Essex (both 40). R. O’Mahony for Warwick (56), D. O’Callaghan for Williams (55, injured), M. Sherry for Varley (60), A. Burke for Deasy (63), C. Murray for Morland (70), D. Kilcoyne for Ryan (77), B. Hayes for Nagle, F. Aherne for Manning, D. Cusack for Riordan (all 79).

SALE SHARKS: N MacLeod, M Vakacefu, C Bell, L Thomas, O Ripol, C Hodgson (captain), W Cliff, R. O’Donnell, N Briggs, J Forester, C Jones, B Cockbain, J Gaskell, D Seymour, D Tait.

Replacements: M. Jones for Briggs, G. Kerr for O’Donnell (both 53), M. Halsall for Forster (60).

Referee: S. McDowell (IRFU).

Result: Harlequins 15, Connacht 14.