MAGNERS LEAGUE/Munster 18 Glasgow 21:MUNSTER suffered their third Musgrave Park defeat of the season as Glasgow spoiled the final home games of Anthony Foley and Declan Kidney in front of 5,360 fans on Saturday evening.
More importantly, though, the Heineken Cup finalists picked up just one minor knock before the Cardiff showdown with Toulouse on Saturday week.
Lifeimi Mafi's ankle injury isn't considered serious and his first-half withdrawal was precautionary.
Munster started with eight of their likely European final team and another four were summoned from the bench. To illustrate how the focus is firmly on Cardiff the 2006 champions wore the change kit of blue and white that will be worn against Toulouse.
Munster will hope they've used up all their bad luck because precious little went their way here, especially when referee James Jones consulted TMO Trevor Collins on three decisions, two which proved crucial to the outcome.
Glasgow deserved their win, their fifth on the spin, thanks in the main to a John Barclay-inspired back row, but they certainly enjoyed the rub of the green.
The first contentious incident came after 54 minutes with 14-man Munster pressing, trailing 14-13 and chasing the lead for the first time. Despite Rua Tipoki being in the sinbin, substitute David Wallace burrowed his way through for what seemed a try only for Paul O'Connell to be penalised for obstruction.
Ten minutes later Munster fans were even more incensed. As the Scots attacked down the left, Keith Earls, who replaced Mafi, was clearly impeded by James Eddie in a move that led to a Thom Evans try. There was further controversy, however, because his grounding of the ball in the corner did not look convincing. Dan Parks kicked a glorious touchline conversion.
Munster rallied and O'Connell's American football-style touchdown, confirmed by the TMO, set up a grandstand finish in pouring rain. But with seven minutes of injury-time the home side could not conjure up a winning try.
The highlight of a protracted first half, which stretched to nearly 50 minutes, was Foley's try after Glasgow stunned the home side by scoring twice to lead 14-0 early on.
Sustained pressure eventually led to Peter Stringer sending Foley in on the blind side, the number eight having to swerve around the back of touch judge Alan Rogan in the process. Ronan O'Gara converted for 14-7 and then landed two penalties to make it a one-point game deep in injury-time with Barclay in the bin following a high tackle on Earls.
Ultimately Munster paid for their sluggish start. Barclay's turn-over led to the opening try for Lome Fa'atau after 16 minutes, a wicked bounce not helping Denis Hurley in the build-up.
Parks converted and added the extras to Dougie Hall's try seven minutes later.
Ian Dowling's quick lineout throw was intended for Foley, but the hooker intercepted and showed impressive speed to race in from 25 metres.
MUNSTER: D Hurley; A Horgan, L Mafi, R Tipoki, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, J Hayes; M O'Driscoll, P O'Connell; D Ryan, A Foley (capt), A Quinlan. Replacements: K Earls for Mafi (inj, 39 mins); D Wallace for Foley (48 mins); T Buckley for Hayes, M Horan for Pucciariello (both 56 mins); D O'Callaghan for O'Driscoll, D Leamy for Ryan, P Warwick for O'Gara (all 68 mins)
GLASGOW: B Stortoni; L Fa'atau, M Evans, A Henderson, T Evans; D Parks (capt), C Gregor; J Va'a, D Hall, M Low; O Palepoi, D Turner; K Brown, J Beattie, J Barclay. Replacements: K Tkachuk for Low (inj, 28 mins); F Thomson for Hall, G Henderson for Evans (both half-time); J Eddie for Brown (50 mins); S Barrow for Fa'atau (56 mins); A Newman for Palepoi (68 mins); S Pinder for Gregor (73 mins)
Referee: J Jones (Wales).
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