Munster fall to last-gasp Warriors

Celtic Warriors 29 Munster 25

A rousing finale at Sardis Road by the Celtic Warriors gave them a narrow victory over Munster in a pulsating Celtic League encounter.

With both sides near full-strength after the RBS 6 Nations Championship, Munster looked sharp behind but their scrum creaked throughout without Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheehan and John Hayes.

In Mike Mullins, who looked dangerous every time he touched the ball, they had the man of the match.

But wasted chances eventually proved costly for the men of Munster.

The visitors started superbly with Jason Holland putting them in front with a second-minute penalty.

After 11 minutes, Holland worked a brilliant loop with Mullins and just made the line for a try he also converted.

It could easily have been more as Paul O’Connell was held up over the line and Anthony Horgan was recalled for a forward pass after a magnificent move involving half the Munster side.

But Donncha O’Callaghan was yellow-carded following a punch-up in the 21st minute with Richard Parks and Gethin Jenkins and this let the Warriors get into the game.

Jenkins drove over for a try after a Richard Bryan line-out take for Ceri Sweeney to convert.

Sweeney added a penalty before Mullins sliced through superbly to work Horgan over in the corner for an unconverted try.

But two more Sweeney penalties gave the Warriors a 16-15 lead at the halfway mark of a pulsating game.

Nine minutes after the restart Rob Henderson released Mullins, who sliced through again to put Christian Cullen over for a try converted by Holland – and Munster were back in front.

Holland added a penalty but the Warriors’ forwards took play to the Munster line and Bryan claimed a pushover try from a scrum.

The cool control of replacement Neil Jenkins and some rousing play by the home pack in the final 10 minutes saw Munster pay the penalty for some indiscipline under pressure.

Two more Sweeney penalties brought the Welsh outfit victory.