Hurley injury mars Reds win

MUNSTER maintained their stranglehold on top spot in the Magners League with a scrappy victory at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella yesterday but the win was tainted by the loss of Denis Hurley to a knee injury.

Despite seeing flanker Donnacha Ryan sin-binned during an ill-disciplined first-half display, the visitors reached the interval three points ahead, with fly-half Paul Warwick outscoring opposite number James Marshall two penalties to one. The second-half brought a marked improvement in Munster’s performance and, aided by the fact that Aironi spent nearly the entire third quarter with 14 men following yellows for Guilio Toniolatti and Gareth Krause, the province pulled clear with a Ryan touchdown and a penalty try.

Aironi No.8 Nick Williams wormed his way over for a late score against his former colleagues but Munster’s fourth victory in five Magners League games had long since been sealed.