McGahan delight as Reds back in groove

MUNSTER did the business to protect their 100% Magners League home record and deflect the heat down on the chasing pack with victory over Edinburgh at Thomond Park last night.

A run of four Munster victories was ended in Treviso last week but they jumped straight back on the wagon to inflict another damaging defeat on Edinburgh, whose hopes of making a top four play-off have completely evaporated.

It wasn’t easy, however, with Edinburgh displaying tenacity and levels of skill that kept them in the match for long spells, but Munster’s powerful scrum and overall dominance up front was a key factor in this well-deserved win marked by a positive, if sometimes error-strewn, performance.

Doug Howlett struck for a couple of trademark tries, but it was fitting that the man-of-the-match award should fall to one of the pack; it could have gone to any one of four or five, Mick O’Driscoll, Damien Varley, Tony Buckley for instance, but James Coughlan got the nod.

He certainly spent a lot of the evening on the front foot but paid tribute to the wholesome effort of his sometimes maligned colleagues for the victory, and referred particularly to their powerful scrum display in response to recent heavy criticism.

For a change, Munster spent most of the time going forward and took advantage as Edinburgh conceded several penalties in a desperate attempt to stem the tide.

Munster coach Tony McGahan was delighted, albeit a little disappointed his side didn’t grasp a bonus point.

“We had a couple of chances in the first half and again at the back end of the game, but overall I’m happy,” he said. “The pack provided us with a platform tonight and the backs made the best of it; I’m delighted for them because it is very difficult when they have to play on the back foot.”

Edinburgh took an early lead through full-back Chris Paterson, but Munster responded immediately to equalise with an O’Gara penalty and they hit the front after 15 minutes.

A series of forward drives brought the reward of a try at the corner flag from Tony Buckley, whose early power in the scrums created major problems for the visitors.

Notwithstanding that, Edinburgh showed spirit and aggression in their response, with Paterson knocking over his second penalty and both wingers, Tim Visser and Lee Jones, carving out openings that spelled danger for a Munster team that appeared to lose direction for several minutes until Damien Varley and Denis Hurley helped spark them into life after 30 minutes.

Six minutes later they found themselves back under the cosh, though, when Edinburgh took advantage of a surging run from Visser and scored a try at the posts from prop Geoff Cross that Paterson converted for a 13-8 lead. From there a slightly ragged Munster might have conceded more but Edinburgh couldn’t get their passes right within a few yards of the line.

It appeared half time couldn’t come quickly enough for McGahan’s men, but in stoppage time Edinburgh tried to be too clever and conceded a free kick which Peter Stringer took quickly. Thirty seconds later, after a brilliant break by Lifeimi Mafi and after an inch perfect pass to Howlett, the sides were level when the Kiwi showed a clean pair of heels to two Edinburgh defenders.

O’Gara missed the difficult conversion and was short of target with an early second-half long-range drop goal attempt. But he kicked a 45th-minute penalty to give Munster a 16-13 lead that could have grown but for Greig Laidlaw’s positional sense and deft one-handed touch after getting back to save a try from Johne Murphy midway through the half.

Munster were well on top everywhere but on the scoreboard, before Mafi broke Edinburgh’s hearts again with a brilliant break to set Murphy clear, the full-back taking no chances to send Howlett galloping away on his right to claim the try that O’Gara converted to push the score out to 23-13.

It was one they held with a degree of comfort, even as both coaches started to empty their respective benches.

Scorers for Munster: D Howlett 2 tries; T Buckley try; R O’Gara con, 2 pens.

Scorers for Edinburgh: G Cross try; C Paterson con, 2 pens.

MUNSTER: J Murphy, D Howlett, L Mafi, P Warwick, D Hurley, R O’Gara, P Stringer, W du Preez, D Varley, T Buckley, D Ryan, M O’Driscoll, D Leamy (capt), J Coughlan, T O’Donnell.

Replacements: B Holland for O’Donnell (60), M Horan for du Preez (63), D Williams for Stringer, D Fogarty for Varley (both 69), S Zebo for Hurley (73).

EDINBURGH: C Paterson, L Jones, B Cairns, J King, T Visser, D Blair, G Laidlaw (captain), K Traynor, A Kelly, G Cross, S Macleod, S Turnbull, F McKenzie, N Talei, R Rennie.

Replacements: A McDonald for Rennie (40), L Nevin for Traynor, N De Luca for Cairns (both 70), R Grant for McKenzie (72), S Webster for L Jones (74).

Referee: N Owens (Wales).