Rugby

Munster fail to leapfrog Glasgow after narrow defeat in Scotstoun

Duncan Weir’s boot the difference between the sides as 14-man Glasgow hold on for win

Ben Healy tackled by Tom Gordon and Jack Dempsey of Glasgow. Photograph: Mark Runnacles/Inpho

Alan Lorimer
Fri Feb 11 2022 - 22:31

Glasgow Warriors 13 Munster 11

Munster’s hopes of leapfrogging Glasgow in the URC table were torpedoed by a Warriors’ side that did enough to finish with more points on the scoreboard in a game that was won and lost by small margins. In the event Munster did come away with a bonus point but there will be disappointment in the squad that a hit-back try by Jean Kleyn late in the game was not converted.

It all looked honours even for most of the first half as a combination of wind and rain at Scotstoun and solid defences kept the sides locked together. Munster were perhaps a tad fortunate to avoid a yellow card after only seven minutes when Chris Farrell appeared to hit Rufus McLean head high in the tackle resulting in the Warriors’ wing being forced to leave the game.

The early deadlock was finally broken when Glasgow’s out half Duncan Weir kicked a 14th minute penalty goal but three minutes before the break, Munster eventually hit back with a successful goal kick from Ben Healy to level the scores.

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Almost immediately Glasgow responded in spectacular fashion, Scotland second row Scott Cummings charging down a clearance kick from Neil Cronin before gathering the ball and stretching over the line for the only try of the first period. Weir then added the conversion goal to give his side into the interval break with a 10-3 advantage.

Early in the second half a high tackle on Healy allowed the outhalf to kick to the corner. From the resultant penalty Munster were unable to take advantage of their lineout. Healy was then wide with a long range penalty after Fraser Brown was carded for handling the ball in the ruck.

Against the odds it was 14-man Glasgow who claimed the next score, a second penalty goal from Weir, quickly cancelled out by a similar effort from Healy. Then with changes to both sides Munster turned the screw with heavy forward surges that ended with Jean Kleyn diving over. It needed the conversion to level the scores but it was not to be as replacement Jack Crowley edged the ball wide leaving Glasgow winners why the proverbial whisker.

Scorers

Glasgow Warriors: Tries Cummings Con Weir Pens Weir (2)

Munster: Tries Kleyn Pens Healy (2)

Glasgow Warriors: O Smith; S Cancelliere, R Fergusson (S McDowall 64), S Johnson, R McLean (J Dobie 10); D Weir, G Horne; O Kebble, F Brown (J Matthews 69), S Berghan (E Pieretto 64); S Cummings, R Gray (K McDonald 65); R Wilson (c), T Gordon (A Miller 73), J Dempsey.

Munster: M Haley; S Daly, C Farrell, R Scannell, S Zebo; B Healy (J Crowley 69), N Cronin (P Patterson 66); J Loughman (J Wycherley 54), D Barron (K O'Byrne 66), S Archer (J Ryan ); J Kleyn, F Wycherley; J O'Donoghue (c), C Cloete (J Hodnett 54), G Coombes (A Kendellen 66).

Referee : Gianluca Gnecchi