Rowntree pleased with workout as 'clunky' Munster hang on in Galway

Wrestling with a marathon pre-season, the province's head coach was grateful for a 'good day's work' after Sportsground victory

UP AND AWAY: Munster's Neil Cronin is challenged by Darragh Murray of Connacht. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher

Connacht 19 Munster 24 

Munster coach Graham Rowntree said their trip to Galway for a preseason clash with Connacht was a worthwhile exercise.

His side held on in the end in a decent contest at the Sportsground where both he and new Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins made the most of breaking up the endless preseason by having a good hit-out.

“It was good to get a win but I think we were a bit clunky — I think that’s the popular word these days to describe that! We made some errors which we will look at but we got the flow of our game going and I felt our errors are within our control,” said Rowntree.

“So, to come here and we are a bit thin on the deck as everyone is at the moment, and get a good win after having a look at 25 other players in an ‘A’ match earlier here, is a good day’s work."

Munster led 10-7 at the end of an opening half where both sides were guilty of basic handling errors and the constant knock-ons led to a stop-start encounter despite both sides showing a good willingness to go wide.

With five weeks still to go to the start of the URC, both sides will be grateful for the workout as their massive preseason campaign rumbles on during the World Cup.

Connacht winger Diarmuid Kilgallen broke the deadlock after 12 minutes when he was at the end of a good movement, with his captain Jack Carty adding the conversion from the right wing. Joey Carbery reduced the mark with a penalty in front of the posts after 17 minutes. 

A penalty to the right corner on the half hour mark ended with a try from Gavin Coombes after Munster eventually mauled their way through a good home defence. Carbery added the points to lead 10-7 at the interval.

Connacht made ten changes at the break and one of them, Paul Boyle, finished off a good drive after 42 minutes, with former Munster player JJ Hanrahan converting, but then Boyle was binned six minutes as Munster piled on the pressure. They eventually made the extra man count when they went wide and hooker Diarmuid Barron got over for a converted try to lead 17-14 after 54 minutes.

Rory Scannell pushed the advantage out to 24-14 as Carbery again converted before Connacht responded and good work down the right by Shayne Bolton ended with another replacement Cathal Forde scoring to cut the gap to 24-19 with 17 minutes remaining.

Connacht had a few chances late on but butchered two lineouts after going to the corner with penalties as Munster held on for the win at the end of a useful workout for both sides.

Scorers for Connacht: Tries: D Kilgallen, P Boyle, C Forde. Cons: J Carty, JJ Hanrahan.

Scorers for Munster: Tries: G Coombes, D Barron, R Scannell. Cons: J Carbery (3). Pen: Carbery.

Connacht: J Porch (L McNamara 56); D Kilgallen (S Bolton 41), T Farrell (B Ralston 41), T Daly (C Forde 41) A Smith (Porch 75); J Carty (JJ Hanrahan 41), C Blade (C Reilly 41); D Buckley (P Dooley 41), D Heffernan (D Tierney-Martin 41), J Aungier (D Roberston-McCoy 41); N Murray (O Dowling 41), J Joyce; C Prendergast, C Oliver (P Boyle 41) (D Murray 56), J Butler.

Munster: S Zebo (S Kiely 58); S McCarthy (J Costello 75), A Frisch, R Scannell, C Nash; J Carbery, E Coughlan (N Cronin 60); J Wycherley (K Ryan 63), D Barron (N Scannell 60), J Ryan (K Knox ’60); G Coombes, F Wycherley (T Ahern ’67); J O’Donoghue, J Hodnett (J Daly ’41), Alex Kendellen.

Referee: Andrew Cole (Leinster)