Burke stretchered off as Munster shut out Edinburgh

Edinburgh - 0 Munster - 11: They hardly did it in style, but Munster moved ever closer to the top of the Celtic League last night by shutting out Edinburgh to claim their ninth successive win at Murrayfield last night.

It was a victory which may have come at a substantial cost, however, after outhalf Paul Burke was rushed to hospital for a precautionary scan on a spinal injury after he was involved in a sickening collision as he chased his own chip late in the first half.

Conditions could hardly have been better for running rugby on a chilly, but fine Edinburgh autumn evening, but neither side ever got close to top gear.

Munster were in front within a minute after Mike Mullins brushed aside a tackle from Scottish international Brendan Laney to get into the 22 and Edinburgh were caught offside at the ensuing ruck, conceding a penalty under the posts.

Having put that one over, Burke was on target a second time soon afterwards when Alan MacDonald was unlucky to be adjudged offside.

But Burke then required fully five minutes treatment on the pitch before he was stretchered from the field, head immobilised.

Munster scored the first try of the match four minutes after the break. Stephen Keogh made the initial inroads, slicing through two tackles to set up a ruck wide on the right, just 10 metres short of the line and the ball was shifted left where Christian Cullen spun out of a tackle and fed Shaun Payne who had the strength to carry a tackler over with him.

They should have had a second immediately afterwards when Mullins cut through the Edinburgh defensive line and, with two men outside him had only to deliver the ball accurately for the score, but his pass to Cullen was forward.

It was then the home side's turn to squander an opportunity when, with an overlap available on the left, Craig Joiner's double miss pass fell short of Rob Dewey.

In last night's other match, Borders recorded their first victory with a 35-25 win over Cardiff Blues.

EDINBURGH: Lee; Joiner, Di Rollo, Laney, Dewey; Godman, Lawson; Smith, Kelly, Brannigan, Pringle, Kellock, Blackadder, MacDonald, Callam. Replacements: MacDougall for Dewey (65), Boston for Godman (76), Hall for Kelly (61), Dickinson for Brannigan (61), Strokosch for MacDonald (79). Not Used: Harrison, Blackwood.

MUNSTER: Cullen; Payne, Mullins, Henderson, Lawlor; Burke, Prendergast; Roche, Blaney, McIlwham, T Hogan, Bowman, Quinlan, Wallace, Keogh. Replacements: J Storey for Mullins (74), Holland for Burke (39), Reddan for Prendergast (53), Fogarty for Roche (72), T Hayes for Bowman (79), Leamy for Wallace (62). Not Used: McGovern. Tries: Payne. Pens: Burke 2.

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRFU).