Munster maintained their impeccable Musgrave Park record as they returned to winning ways in the BKT United Rugby Championship with an eventful 40-29 win against leaders Glasgow Warriors.
The province haven't lost at their Cork ground since 2019, and that record never looked in real doubt against the Scottish side, with the champions making a hot start on a freezing December night.
Graham Rowntree’s side scored three tries in a blistering first 15 minutes, with Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern and Diarmuid Barron all crossing the line, while Ahern’s second try before half time ensured the bonus-point was secure inside 40 minutes.
Ahern was inspired form in his 56-minute showing, his new home in the back row allowing the 6ft 7in Waterford man use his pace more in the open field.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will no doubt have been impressed with the 23-year-old's start to the season.
Alex Nankivell and John Hodnett added further tries in the second half, with Jack Crowley kicking five conversions from six for a 10-point tally.
While Glasgow eventually finished within 11 points, they never got close enough to put the result in doubt, but the trouble they caused with their maul will be a major concern for Rowntree as the Champions Cup looms.
The Warriors scored all five of their tries from that source, and had Duncan Weir’s kicking been better, the result could have been different.
Having made a fast start against Leinster a week ago, Munster came out hot again at Musgrave Park, taking advantage of some poor discipline from the visitors.
Glasgow conceded four penalties inside the first six minutes – two at the breakdown before two at the lineout – and while they did stop Munster's maul from getting close to the line, a series of strong carries from Nankivell, Gavin Coombes and Edogbo ended when the latter barged in under the posts for the opening try on seven minutes.
The simple conversion for Jack Crowley gave the hosts a 7-0 lead.
It was to get even better six minutes later, as Ahern powered over for a remarkable try.
By now Glasgow were playing with 14 men after Nathan McBeth tested the patience of referee Marius van der Westhuizen too far and was sent to the bin.
Munster went for the corner, and having moved from touchline to touchline, Ahern latched onto a crossfield kick by Daly, only to be taken out in the air by Warriors scrum-half Sean Kennedy.
However, the Waterford man picked himself back up, and carried two Glasgow players on his back to dive over and score as the hosts raced into a 12-0 advantage.
Crowley missed the conversion, but straight from the restart Munster were over again with Frisch, Ahern and Seán O’Brien connecting to break down the touchline.
O’Brien’s chip back infield was collected by Nankivell, and while he was stopped short, Craig Casey quickly whipped a pass out to Barron as the captain crossed for the champions’ third try.
This time Crowley’s touchline conversion crept over to make the margin 19-0, with just 16 minutes on the watch.
Glasgow’s lineout maul has been a lethal weapon this season, and Franco Smith’s side hit back with a try on 26 minutes, as flanker Sione Vailanu finished off a dominant drive after a great throw to the tail of the lineout by hooker Johnny Matthews.
Duncan Weir’s conversion went left and wide, limiting damage to 19-5.
The Warriors were just starting to gain momentum, but Ahern and Tadhg Beirne combined to kill that just after the half-hour mark, Ahern making a ferocious tackle on Stafford McDowell, before a Beirne jackal penalty shortly after put his side back on the attack.
Shortly before half time, Rowntree’s side brought up the bonus-point score with another sweeping move.
It started with a show-and-go in midfield from Coombes to break towards the 22, and while he was eventually brought to ground, quick hands from Casey, Beirne, Stephen Archer and Calvin Nash eventually put Ahern in for his second, and Munster’s fourth of the night after 36 minutes.
Once again, Crowley added the extras as Munster brought a 26-5 lead into the break.
A second Glasgow try off the maul, this time for Matthews, gave the visitors a glimmer of hope two minutes into the second half, but that hope lasted just six minutes before Munster were celebrating again.
This time it was Nankivell, (above) who dived over to score his first try for the province after some sustained pressure following a succession of penalties against Glasgow, who also lost tighthead Lucio Sordoni to a yellow card as they fell 33-10 behind.
Glasgow’s only weapon was their lineout maul, and after Munster conceded a midfield penalty on 54 minutes it invited another roll for the line, and this time it was Rory Darge who found the space to grab their third try.
For the third time, Weir’s conversion was wide, but the league leaders were at least in bonus-point territory.
Just after the hour mark, that bonus-point arrived for Glasgow, and again it was that familiar lineout drive, this time ending with a penalty try and yellow card for Beirne. From a period of complete dominance, Munster’s lead was now cut down to 11 points at 33-22.
If the 8,000 crowd at Musgrave Park were feeling nervous, there was relief to come after 65 minutes as Hodnett crossed for Munster’s sixth try of the night which made it 40-22.
The flanker was able to burrow over the line from a five-metre tap-and-go penalty, aided by a ferocious supporting latch by Kilcoyne and the debutant Jager (below).
With two-minutes to play, Glasgow scored a remarkable fifth maul try, this time from replacement hooker Angus Fraser, and while Weir finally converted, it was too late for the Scottish side to pull back a second bonus-point as Munster held on for a win that contained positives and negatives aplenty.
Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Seán O'Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Stephen Archer; Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Scott Buckley, Dave Kilcoyne, Oli Jager, Fineen Wycherley, Brian Gleeson, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen.
Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay; Kyle Rowe, Sione Tuipulotu, Stafford McDowall (capt), Ollie Smith; Duncan Weir, Sean Kennedy; Nathan McBeth, Johnny Matthews, Lucio Sordoni; Sintu Manjezi, Scott Cummings; Sione Vailanu, Rory Darge, Henco Venter.
Replacements: Angus Fraser, Oli Kebble, Zander Fagerson, Greg Peterson, Max Williamson, Thomas Gordon, Ben Afshar, Tom Jordan.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
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