PRO 12 Munster 20 Dragons12:MOST OF their front-stage performers might be in New Zealand, but in their absence Munster's chorus-line played a familiar tune at Musgrave Park on Saturday night.
Fan favourites like forward aggression and uncompromising defence were given a good airing, and they wrapped up the set with another Munster classic – resolve in the face of adversity.
What had looked like being a routine victory seemed in peril when Munster had Peter O’Mahony and Damien Varley sin-binned in quick succession in the final quarter and the Dragons closed the deficit to just five points by kicking a couple of penalties. But despite being two men short Munster rumbled their way down the field and won a penalty that Ian Keatley stroked between the uprights to make the victory safe.
It was nothing less than Munster deserved for a workmanlike display that was garnished with a couple of try-making moments of brilliance. Discipline remains a concern because this was the second match in a row three of their players were sin-binned.
“It’s something we have to address for next week against Glasgow because if we get three yellows in that match we probably won’t win it,” admitted number eight James Coughlan. “When we had only 13 players on the pitch we manned up defensively and managed to keep things going, but that’s not something we’ll be happy with. We’ll have a look at it on Monday.
“When you’re in the thick of it it’s hard to see what you’re doing wrong, but the stupid penalties are going to have to stop if we’re to progress as a team this season.”
Man-of-the-match Coughlan was run close for the award by his backrow colleague Peter O’Mahony. The 21-year-old is rated so highly in Munster he’s been handed the captain’s armband in Paul O’Connell’s absence, and he showed why with a ferociously committed performance that set the tone for the pack.
“Peter was very good again,” said Munster coach Tony McGahan. “He’s a young man who suffered with injuries for quite a while which disrupted his progress. At the end of last season though he worked his way in to the match 23 for the Heineken Cup and Magners and hopefully he’ll now go from strength to strength.
“He’s got great leadership abilities, and playing with James Coughlan in the backrow is a perfect opportunity for them to develop a leadership platform for the future.”
The pack might have taken most of the plaudits but the backs had their moments too, particularly Johne Murphy who set up Danny Barnes for Munster’s first try after ripping the Dragons defence to tatters with a scorching run.
After a promising start with Munster last year his form nose-dived because of a series of niggling injuries and an apparent loss of confidence, but he looked back to his best. “Johne definitely contributed really well to this result,” said McGahan. “He’s fit and injury-free now and running with a lot of speed which is something he’s worked a lot on. He’s definitely making progress.
“We moved him here, there and everywhere last season and he did a tremendous job for us, but he’s best used in the back three and he took his opportunity really well there this evening.”
A terrific lineout move led to Munster’s second try of the night when Lifeimi Mafi raced over after good work by Billy Holland and Denis Hurley.
Munster led by 17-6 at the break and seemed poised to pound out a convincing victory, but their hand was weakened by indiscipline in the second half as Mafi, O’Mahony and Varley were all yellow carded.
Dragons didn’t have the guts or guile to take advantage though, and in the end Munster did what Munster teams have always done best – they ground out a worthy and hard-fought victory.
MUNSTER: J Murphy; D Howlett, D Barnes, L Mafi, D Hurley; I Keatley, P Stringer; M Horan, M Sherry, S Archer; B Holland, M O'Driscoll; P O'Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: W Du Preez for Horan (47 mins), D Varley for Sherry (56 mins), S Zebo for Hurley, D Williams for Stringer (both 61 mins), J Hayes for Archer 66 mins).
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: S Jones; A Hughes, T Riley, A Smith, M Poole; J Tovey, J Bedford; P Price, T Willis, B Castle; A Jones, R Sidoli; A Coombs, G Thomas, T Brown. Replacements: P Leach for Smoth (39 mins), H Ellis for Brown (43 mins), D Way for Castle (51 mins), M Thomas for Jones (64 mins).
Referee: S Penne(FIR)
