Munster hold off Crescent

Young Munster held off a worthy challenge from Old Crescent at Clifford Park yesterday to emerge with four points from a game which must rank among the best in the competition this season.

The home side went ahead on 13 minutes with a try from scrumhalf Michael Prendergast. Tom Cregan converted and although Stephen Tuohy quickly dropped a goal for Crescent, Young Munster replied with a fine try by Mark Connolly to give them a 12-3 lead.

However, when Young Munster turned over possession just inside their own half, Crescent winger Mark Hogan ran in unopposed from 40 metres. Billy Treacy converted and then landed a long range penalty on 30 minutes to put Crescent 13-12 ahead.

The lead was relinquished when delightful inter-passing between Young Munster's Mike Lynch and Mike Mullins opened the way for Leo Doyle to score between the posts and for Cregan to convert. However, another dropped goal by Tuohy and a penalty by Treacy left the sides drawing 19-19 at half-time.

Cregan landed another penalty six minutes after the restart before Crescent regained the lead with a magnificent try by Liam Brown after a move that twice spread across the pitch.

Treacy converted to put Crescent four points clear with 30 minutes to play but well-struck penalties by Cregan saw Young Munster home by 31-26.

Scoring Sequence: 13 mins: M Prendergast try, T Cregan con, 7-0; 13 mins: S Tuohy dropped goal 7-3; 17 mins: M Connolly try, 12-3; 24 mins: M Hogan try, W Treacy con, 12-10; 30 mins: Treacy pen, 12-13; 33 mins: L Doyle try, Cregan con, 19-13; 35 mins: Tuohy dropped goal, 19-16; 40 mins: Treacy pen, 19-19. Half-time: 1919. 46 mins: Cregan pen, 22-19; 50 mins: L Brown try, Treacy con, 22-26; 64 mins: Cregan pen 25-26; 66 mins: Cregan pen 28-26; 70 mins: Cregan pen 31-26.

Young Munster: M Connolly; T Cregan, M Mullins, L Doyle, C Casey; M Lynch, M Prendergast; PJ McLaughlin, B Cantrell, M Fitzgerald; D Peters, P O'Connell; M Ngarimu, J Rose, M Tepau. Replacements: S Hogan for Connolly, D Reddan for Doyle, C Power for Peters.

Old Crescent: W Treacy; J Cusack, W Munn, M Brodie, M Hogan; S Tuohy, E Reddan; D Clohessy, L Brown, G Evans; P Ryan, M Bird; G Schoeman, P Glamuzina, A Herlihy. Replacements: D O'Mally for Ryan, M Hayes for Brown.

Referee: D Tyndall (Leinster).