Munster 17

Connacht 15

By JOHN FALLON at Thomond Park

ANOTHER night of frustration to add to the multitude which have gone before at this venue as Connacht’s lack of cutting edge in attack at Thomond Park saw them fall to a third successive loss in this season’s URC campaign.

A bonus point was salvaged, bringing to four picked in the three losses, but like the defeats to Cardiff and the Bulls, a spirited performance was ultimately undone by missed kicks, mounting injuries, and Munster’s second-half stranglehold.

Three tries were scored but all three conversions were missed and in games of tight margins, Connacht’s inability to get a high return off the tee has proven very costly in Stuart Lancaster’s four games in charge.

That might be rectified when new signing Sam Gilbert arrives from New Zealand now that his duties with Otago are completed and he should be in situ when Connacht resume their URC campaign at the end of November against the Sharks.

Conancht led 15-12 at the break but failed to score in the second half and having finished 13th last season, they currently sit one position higher, although the table is skewed by the fact that their home match against Scarlets was called off when the Welsh side were unable to travel because of a storm.

Connacht, given Scarlets early form, would probably have netted five points from that outing but who knows how the Llanelli side will have regrouped when the game finally goes ahead, probably during the Six Nations.

“Obviously very disappointed not to get over the line, having had a really good first half,” said Lancaster. “We went in 15–12 at half-time; it could have been a little bit more if we’d slotted a couple of conversions, and obviously the intercept was a big moment.”

Connacht, seeking only their second league win at the Limerick venue in the professional era, conceded from a turnover after 12 minutes. Alex Nankivell’s delayed pass released Dan Kelly, who set up captain Jack O’Donoghue to crash over.

JJ Hanrahan, playing against Connacht where he spent the past two seasons, missed the conversion, and Connacht responded immediately. Out-half Josh Ioane slipped a tackle and released Byron Ralston with a neat pass to score. Cathal Forde couldn’t convert, but Connacht were level at 5–5 and clearly up for the fight.

Ioane continued to orchestrate Connacht’s attack, absorbing heavy contact to fling a skip pass out wide for Ralston’s second try. The Australian winger showed excellent finishing instinct again, though another missed conversion from Forde kept Munster within reach.

Then came the game’s turning point. Ioane, so effective up to that point, saw his next pass intercepted by former Connacht man Diarmuid Kilgallen, who sprinted 60 metres to score under the posts. Hanrahan’s conversion gave Munster a 12-10 lead, a cruel blow after Connacht’s bright start.

But the visitors refused to fold. Just before the break, sustained pressure in the Munster 22 paid off when captain Paul Boyle burrowed over from close range. After a lengthy TMO check, referee Andrea Piardi awarded the try. Replacement kicker Seán Naughton couldn’t add the extras, but Connacht went into half-time 15-12 ahead.

Pictured: Connacht’s Sean Jansen is tackled by John Hodnett of Munster with teammates Ben Murphy, Darragh Murray, Josh Ioane and Joe Joyce offering support in Saturday’s URC encounter at Thomond Park.