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Munster beat Glasgow to book semi-final with Leinster

Updated / Saturday, 6 May 2023 22:08
Malakai Fekitoa grabbed the first Munster try
Malakai Fekitoa grabbed the first Munster try

Munster will face Leinster in the BKT URC semi-finals next Saturday after overcoming 14-man Glasgow in Scotstoun.

But the result came at a cost with Peter O'Mahony suffering an arm injury and RG Snyman, Conor Murray and Malakai Fekitoa all coming off with head injuries.

The game turned when Glasgow out-half Tom Jordan was sent off for the high challenge that ended Murray's involvement in the 25th minute.

Either side of that incident, Fekitoa and Antoine Frisch crashed over for tries as the Warriors lost at home for the first time since January 2022.

Kyle Steyn crossed for a late consolation and Glasgow's attention can now turn to their Challenge Cup final against Toulon in Dublin on 19 March, while Munster will face old rivals Leinster, who earlier beat the Sharks 35-5.

The home side started well and dominated possession and territory over the 80 minutes but their hopes of reaching a second final this season were undone in a five-minute spell.

Warriors could not make their early pressure count and Fekitoa crossed in the 22nd minute in Munster's first attack of the game.

Jordan was sent off three minutes later after smashing his shoulder into the face of Ireland scrum-half Murray on the touchline and Frisch soon went over to increase Munster’s lead further.

Steyn gave Glasgow hope with a 66th-minute try but the 14 men could not build on their opening score.

The first quarter of the game offered little indication of the final outcome.

Warriors had some promising line breaks from Sione Tuipulotu and Steyn in particular but the final pass was missing.

Munster survived some sustained pressure after Warriors kicked a penalty into the corner before Jack Dempsey was later held up on the line.

The visitors continued to defend well despite losing captain O’Mahony early on to an arm injury and lock Snyman to a head injury. Murray would soon go off as a result of Jordan’s challenge.

Munster’s first meaningful foray into the Glasgow 22 resulted in Fekitoa spinning out of Steyn’s tackle and touching down.

Jordan saw red after the officials studied footage of his dangerous tackle and the Munster quickly used their numerical advantage, winning a penalty and then working the ball to Frisch to cross.

Jack Crowley added his second conversion of the game to give Munster a 14-point half-time lead which might have been greater had Franco Smith’s side not stood firm under some relentless late first-half pressure.

Warriors restarted the game on the front foot and won a couple of penalties deep in Munster territory which allowed them to pile on the pressure but Richie Gray’s spillage and some stubborn defending kept the visitors’ clean sheet intact.

Glasgow regained the ascendancy after a brief respite for Graham Rowntree's side and finally made their pressure count in the 66th minute when substitute Huw Jones set up Steyn to go over in the corner.

Stafford McDowall missed the conversion to leave Warriors needing two scores and Munster spent the remainder of the game deep in home territory.

All comeback hopes evaporated when Tuipulotu was yellow-carded following a head-on challenge which forced Fekitoa off.

Glasgow: Ollie Smith; Sebastian Cancelliere, Sione Tuipulotu, Stafford McDowall, Kyle Steyn; Tom Jordan, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson; Scott Cummings, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Nathan McBeth, Simon Berghan, JP du Preez, Lewis Bean, Sione Vailanu, Ali Price, Huw Jones.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman; Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony (C), Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Fineen Wycherley, John Hodnett, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Alex Kendellen.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

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Accreditation: PA

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