Seven-try Munster fend off Harlequins in Stoop thriller

STOOP THRILLER: Munster’s Neil Cronin scores a try. Pic: ©INPHO/Juan Gasparini

Harlequins 35 Munster 43

THE next time Munster cross the Irish Sea will be for the Champions Cup round of 16 in April, and if that meeting with Northampton is half as entertaining as this showstopper in London, it will be some festival of fun.

Graham Rowntree’s mix n’ match outfit ran in seven of the 12 tries on the night to thrill the large exile support who made the trip to west London and cheered the Reds’ eight-point winning margin with a standing ovation at the death.

There was also a special cheer from all corners for Quins assistant coach and ex-Munster legend Jerry Flannery who was saying his farewells all round on the night before taking up a post with world champions South Africa.

Full back Mike Haley accelerated his road back to full fitness with an opening try, while Joey Carbery, his replacement Tony Butler, Alex Kendellan, rookie wing Shay McCarthy, Jack Daly, impressive Ethan Coughlan and debutant Stephen Kiely all crossed for tries. The last pair of tries were Globetrotter-esque.

First Coughlan’s finish for Munster’s sixth try summed up Munster’s fun on the night – Jack O’Sullivan’s lovely offload to Fineen Wycherley who galloped through the heart of the Quins defence to put the nine in under the posts.

The seventh try was even better, a coast to coast affair, started and finished by Shannon’s Kiely in the corner after a couple of magical offloads.

These mid season friendlies might have a marmite feel for some, but for Munster management they can be a priceless tool for blooding young talent, and the management team will surely be smiling contentedly with their night’s work at the Stoop.

Kendellan’s 16th minute try after a smart lineout move down the shortside gave the visitors an early 14-0 lead.

Quins were roused to respond off a rolling maul but their resurgence was short lived – Academy winger Shay McCarthy went after a restart with gusto and was rewarded for his efforts with a block and a finish for 19-7.

It was 19-14 at half time with Quins continuing the stylish scoring trend with out half Will Edwards scoring a second try, which he converted. In fact, they nudged ahead for the first and only time on a thoroughly entertaining evening a minute after the break.

Tony Butler was now in the pivot for Carbery, with Colm Hogan introduced too for McCarthy on the wing. It didn’t take the Clare man long to make his mark, diving over in the left corner for 24-21 Munster.

Thereafter it turned into a basketball game. Jack Daly scored only his second senior career try. Butler, proving to be the definition of an impact player, converted with ease and Munster were ten to the good.

Munster looked to be cruising now. Fineen Wycherley laid off to sub Neil Cronin who added another for the Red Army. Butler converted once more. Was there any stopping Munster now?

The substitutes were making a massive impact for Munster, Stephen Kiely another example, producing a moment of brilliance on 65 minutes when he skipped past a couple of straggling Quins men leaving them for dead and adding insult to injury for the London men. That made it 21-43.

Straight from a lineout Brynn Bradley scored a Quins try, bursting through the Munster defence. Sub Connor Slevin converted. Quins refused to roll over and with another try from Anyanwu with three minutes left on the clock.

Scorers for Harlequi ns: Tries: W Edwards 2, J Walker, B Bradley, L Anyanwu; Cons: W Edwards 3, C Slevin 2.

Scorers for Munster: Tries: M Haley, A Kendellen, S McCarthy, T Butler, S Kiely, N Cronin, J Daly; Cons: J Carbery 2, T Butler 2.

HARLEQUINS: C Anderson, R Zheng, L Anyanwu, B Bradley, C Cleaves, W Edwards, M Green; S Garcia Botta, J Walker, W Collier, J Launchbury, S Lewies, W Trenholm. W Evans, J Chisholm.

Reps: L Chawatama for W Collier (18), S Kerrod for S Garcia Botta (HT), N Jibulu for J Walker (HT), I Herbst for J Launchbury (HT), G Hammond for S Lewies (HT), T Lawday for W Evans (46), L Gjaltema for M Green (55), C Slevin for W Edwards (58), M Jurevicius for W Trenholm (67), T Green for C Cleaves (75).

MUNSTER: M Haley, F Gibbons, S O’Brien, R Scannell, S McCarthy, J Carbery, E Coughlan; J Wycherley, S Buckley, J Ryan, C Hurley, F Wycherley, J Daly, A Kendellen, J O’Sullivan.

Reps: C Hogan for M Haley (HT), T Butler for J Carbery (HT), S Kiely for S McCarthy (HT), M Donnelly for J Wycherley (50), M Clein for S Buckley (56), S Archer for J Ryan (64), N Cronin for E Coughlan (69), D Okeke for A Kendellen (74), K Nowak for F Wycherley (77).

Referee: Hamish Smales.