Young Munster weather the storm against rivals Garryowen

Energia All-Ireland League, Division 1A:

Garryowen 7 Young Munster 11

Young Munster boosted their All-Ireland League play-off hopes with victory over second-placed Garryowen at Dooradoyle on Friday night.

The early effects of Storm Jorge made ball handling a lottery at times in this Limerick derby. Scores were at a premium, and Munsters winger Jack Harrington helped himself to a crucial try late in the first half.

Garryowen struggled to make a breakthrough and the Cookies crept ahead in the eighth minute thanks to a well-struck penalty from young out-half Evan Cusack.

Battling through two sin-bin periods, both sides held firm, but Munsters, who visited their local rivals on the back of three successive triumphs, struck just before the break.

Their forwards carried hard to suck in the defence before Jack Lyons released the back and Harrington finished off strongly in the right corner.

Munsters full-back Alan Tynan was inches away from adding a second try, but 8-0 was a decent interval lead for Gearoid Prendergast’s side. Garryowen leaked 10 first-half penalties and another one allowed Alan Tynan to kick Munsters further in front.

Conditions deteriorated in the third quarter, and the Garryowen pack took their cue, winning a series of close-in penalties with Keynon Knox sent to the bin.

Referee Richard Horgan duly rewarded the Light Blues with a penalty try after another powerful shove by Andy Keating and company. But the losing bonus point was their only reward

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Scorers: Garryowen: Try: Penalty try; Con: Pen try con.

Young Munster scorers: Try: Jack Harrington; Pens: Evan Cusack, Alan Tynan.

GARRYOWEN: Jamie Heuston; Colm Quilligan, Bryan Fitzgerald, Jack Delaney, Liam Coombes; Dave McCarthy, Jack Stafford; Conor Fitzgerald, Pat O’Toole, Andy Keating, Tim Ferguson, Kevin Seymour (capt), Cian Hurley, Johnny Keane, Bailey Faloon.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Alan Tynan; Jack Harrington, Harry Fleming, Evan O’Gorman, Jason Kiely; Evan Cusack, Jack Lyons; David Begley, Mark O’Mara, Keynon Knox, Tom Goggin, Sean Rigney, Alan Kennedy (capt), Conor Mitchell, Fintan Coleman.

Referee: Richard Horgan (IRFU)