Munster dig out victory but injury woes grow

Munster 19 Edinburgy 11

It was neither a classic game nor an outstanding performance by Munster who now have 30 points, one less than Glasgow Warriors, and it may also have been achieved at an appreciable cost given that Paul Warwick (dead leg), Donnacha Ryan and Niall Ronan (both shoulder) all departed with what appeared to be quite meaningful injuries in the opening 20 minutes.

However, the strength in depth in the squad was demonstrated by the outstanding performances turned in by their respective replacements, Scott Deasy, Billy Holland and Tommy O’Donnell. Deasy missed a number of goal kicks but didn’t allow that to worry him, instead scoring off what his captain, Mick O’Driscoll, described as “a wonder try” that proved the difference.

“We’re now back into the top four no matter what happens in the other matches and that’s what counts most to us,” said O’Driscoll, who was voted man of the match. “Some of us, including myself, haven’t had much rugby of late so it’s not surprising that it was a scrappy display and we’ll need to raise the bar for our next game away to the Dragons. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that we were down about 10 players and it’s never easy when you lose your number 10 early on. But we’re really thrilled with how the young guys came in and did so well.”

Munster suffered a triple blow on 12 minutes when Edinburgh out-half David Blair dropped a goal at much the same time as Ryan and Warwick went off. Deasy and Holland, who normally line out at full-back and back-row for their club, Cork Con, came in at out-half and second row respectively. Ronan departed shortly afterwards to be replaced by O’Donnell so in the circumstances, it was inevitable that coach Tony McGahan was immensely proud of how the substitutes performed.

“We always intended giving these guys some game time but it’s difficult when they have to come in earlier than planned and I thought they were all fantastic,” he enthused. “They had shown what they were capable of early in the season but their chances have been limited. It didn’t surprise me that they did so well and it’s good to know we have young players like these available to us and that they have so much potential.”

The disruptions didn’t upset Munster unduly and they worked hard for a try on 26 minutes when after severe pressure, Welsh referee Tim Hayes and TMO Brian Fitzgerald agreed that Marcus Horan had got the touchdown after a series of rucks on the Edinburgh line.

However, Deasy missed the conversion and after Blair had landed an Edinburgh penalty, the Munster man hit the post with a relative sitter. To his credit, though, Deasy kept his nerve and converted the most difficult of his three first half shots on 40 minutes. But the Scots still found time for Blair to knock over a close range penalty and go in leading 9-8.

More and more errors crept into the Munster game and manifested themselves most tellingly in the 52nd minute when Alan Quinlan was yellow carded for illegally killing the ball at a ruck and Blair confidently knocked over the resultant penalty. It didn’t help when Deasy missed his fourth attempt out of five from the restart but if Munster fans feared his nerves were in tatters, they need not have worried. Instead, he kicked his second penalty and then produced a superb line break, kicked ahead and then bravely won the race for the touchdown for a brilliant individual try. He didn’t manage the conversion but Munster had gone from four down to four ahead while Quinlan was in the bin.

Deasy stretched the lead to seven but with Lifeimi Mafi in the bin, the closing stages were more than a little nervy for the home fans.

A priceless turnover almost on their own line was followed by a relieving penalty and left the Scots with the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Scorers for Munster: Tries, M Horan, Deasy; Pens, Deasy (3).

Edinburgh: Pens, Blair (3); Drop Goal, Blair.

MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett, L Mafi, J de Villiers, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; M Horan, D Fogarty, T Buckley; D Ryan, M O’Driscoll (capt), A Quinlan, N Ronan, J Coughlan.

Replacements: B Holland for Ryan, S Deasy for Warwick, both 12; T O’Donnell for Ronan, 21; J Brugnaut for Buckley, 58; T Gleeson for Dowling, M Sherry for Fogarty, both 70.

EDINBURGH: B Cairns; M Robertson, N De Luca, J Houston, T Visser; D Blair, G Laidlaw (capt); K Traynor, A Kelly, G Cross, S MacLeod, J Hamilton, A MacDonald, R Grant, D Callam. Replacements: A Jacobssen for Traynor, 48; F McKenzie and C Hamilton for McLeod, J Hamilton, both 60; R Grant for Kelly 64; S Webster for Visser 73.

Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales).