Glasgow withstand Munster pressure to win

Glasgow 18 Munster 14

Celtic League champions Munster crashed out of the Celtic Cup at the quarter final stage in Hughenden tonight, as Glasgow produced a much improved performance from that which saw them lose 30-19 to Connacht seven days ago, to edge into the last four.

Alan Gaffney’s men have now lost three Celtic games on the trot, two to Welsh opposition, with their sole win standing from early September’s seven-point reversal of Leinster.

Glasgow advanced to a November 14 semi-final as a stop-start performance from a Munster side, still minus the services of centre Jason Holland, saw them fail to string together any lengthy period of pressure until a frantic final ten minutes.

In the pre-game warm-up the Aussie boss declared the game ‘a big one for the boys’, and it seemed to matter most to Munster early on as wing Mossie Lawler almost touched down by the stroke of the second minute.

Just two minutes later, a Dominic Crotty drive on the Glasgow five-metre line was stopped and picked by prop Simon Kerr who couldn’t believe his luck as he eased over without a sniff of a challenge from the ensuing ruck.

Out-half Jeremy Staunton converted as the game swung in Munster’s favour, with a twelfth minute sin-binning for centre Gareth Maclure.

Content to attack from anywhere on the park, Glasgow ensured a rousing cup tie pace with Maclure almost redeeming himself with a try, unfortunately losing the ball forward in a strong challenge from Mike Mullins on 24 minutes.

Aussie out-half Daniel Parks, a recent arrival in Scotland, was starting his first Celtic tie and a pocketful of relieving kicks saw him settle way during the opening half.

Following a bout of pressure Glasgow deservedly scored with winger Rory Kerr eluding the tackle of David Wallace to touch down.

Parks added the conversion and a 34th minute penalty to send the home side in at half time, with a 10-7 lead.

Eight minutes after the break and matters worsened for Gaffney’s men.

A well-weighted offload by Glasgow scrum-half Kenny Sinclair saw back row Paul Dearlove power over for his first try of the season, at the same corner of the ground where Munster’s Lawler fumbled in the first half.

Parks’ third success with his right boot on 52 minutes put the visitors eleven points in arrears.

Wing Shaun Payne burrowed close to the home line, but following the awarding of a penalty for deliberate offside, scrum-half Eoin Reddan spread the play to his loaded right and centre Mullins, a World Cup panellist in 1999, glided over past Alan Bulloch’s tackle to score.

Staunton’s conversion put just four between them as the game entered its last quarter.

Substitute Martin McPhail, formerly of Connacht, added much to the Munster charge in the final minutes but loose hands saw Mullins, Lawler and Staunton all lose opportunities forward, as with the wind at their backs, they couldn’t find a way through.

Speaking afterwards, Gaffney summed up a disappointing night for his side saying: "We played very good rugby in the first half, but didn’t take some straight forward opportunities, and although we built a bit towards the end we couldn’t do it.

"I’m very disappointed to lose three in a row is very rare for us and we should have won the game out wide. The lineout was not up to scratch but we’ll come back as best we can from this.’

Scorers: Glasgow: Maclure, Dearlove tries; Parks 2 cons, pen

Munster: Kerr, Mullins tries; Staunton 2 con