The better side won on the day, concedes Con coach Walsh

THE match of the day failed to live up to expectation with Young Munster easily defeating their Temple Hill hosts on Saturday.

Constitution may bemoan their decision to run a 57th minute penalty, as they turned over possession and conceded a penalty try shortly afterwards but coach Brian Walsh admitted his side played second fiddle for much of the tie.

Walsh said: “The better side won on the day, we struggled in the set piece, gave away six points early and when you’re struggling for momentum you can’t afford to be behind. We were always a bit off.

The mood was good in the Young Munster dressing room, especially as news of Clontarf’s loss to St Mary’s filtered through. It leaves Mike Prendergast’s men with a four point lead as the sides break for Christmas.

Prendergast said: “This league is all about momentum and it’s good for confidence to be top at Christmas, but we’ve got a five week break and will have to deal with that. The one good thing is that we have a Limerick Charity Cup final to play against Shannon, and that will help us keep the focus,”

Young Munster took their opportunities to secure a ten point buffer at the interval, scoring the only try and three penalties in a competitive first half.

Willie Staunton kicked two early penalties before Jerry Hurley got Constitution off the mark. But the visitors surged further clear with a Shane Hasett try, converted by Staunton after 32 minutes. Jonathan Holland dropped a goal for Con but Staunton responded with a penalty in injury time to secure a 16-6 advantage.

It got better for the Limerick men 12 minutes into the second half, Young Munster’s strong scrum forcing Constitution to concede the penalty try which Staunton converted. It came after the home side had scorned the possibility of points by ill advisedly taking a tap penalty from a kickable position. They lost possession and their opponents made them pay. Hurley cut the gap with a 60th minute penalty and Con scored a late try from winger Niall O’Driscoll, who prospered from good work by Robert Clune. Hurley added the extras.

But with Con’s losing bonus point in the bag, the visitors put up the barricades and comfortably played out the remaining four minutes without any real danger.

CORK CONSTITUTION: D Lyons, R Clune, A Ryan, S Deasy, N O’Driscoll, J Holland, J Hurley, C Corkery, A Cudmore, M Gateley, B Hayes, C O’Flaherty, B Cuttriss, J Ryan, B O Hara.

Replacements: I Nagle for Cuttriss , B Cagney for Corkery, K Stokes for Cudmore, J McSwiney for O’Hara, C Quinn for Ryan.

YOUNG MUNSTER: R Moloney, A Carroll, M Costelloe, A Burke, D O’Neill, W Staunton, M Prendergast, G Flaherty, G Slattery, A Cotter, D Gallagher, S O’Neill (captain), L Og Murphy, N Melbourne, S Hassett.

Replacements: S Duggan for O’Neill, G Burke for Slattery, H McGrath for Flaherty, J O’Neill for Hassett, B Hough for Moloney.

Referee: G Clancy (IRFU).