Friday, September 11, 2009

Munster 24-13 Blues

Munster (16) 24
Tries: Horan, Leamy Con: Manning Pens: Manning 4

Blues (10) 13
Try: Rush Pens: Blair 2 Con: Blair

Thomond Park action
Ben Blair of Blues and Munster's Jeremy Manning challenge for the ball

Munster beat Blues 24-13 in Friday's Magners League game at Thomond Park.

Marcus Horan barged over for a 28th minute try while Jeremy Manning kicked three penalties and a conversion to help Munster to a 16-10 half-time lead.

Xavier Rush sprinted over in the 37th minute and Ben Blair added a penalty and a conversion for Cardiff Blues.

Denis Leamy stretched to score a try in the 60th minute and Manning kicked a penalty while Blair kicked Blues' only points of the half with a penalty.

Manning was off target with a third minute penalty attempt but made amends by slotting the ball between the posts 15 minutes later.

Blair replied with a penalty for Blues in the 20th minute but Manning restored the Irish province's three-point advantage with his second penalty of the game after 25 minutes.

Prop Horan then picked up the ball and ploughed his way through the Cardiff defence and over the line for Munster's first try, with Manning adding the two points.

The Munster fly-half was accurate again with a 32nd-minute penalty attempt but Rush completed a fine Blues move by showing an impressive turn of pace to touch the ball down under the posts, Blair converting.

Blair reduced his side's deficit to three points with a penalty three minutes after the interval but, soon after, Ma'ama Molitika was sin binned for a late and high tackle on Manning.

Manning converted a 47th-minute penalty and then Munster were held up just short of the line as they applied the pressure.

Leamy reached out over his head to ground the ball for his side's second try but Manning could not add the conversion on this occasion.

Lifeimi Mafi was sin binned for kicking out in the 74th minute but Blues were unable to take advantage of their numerical advantage as they chased a try which could have earned them a bonus point.

Munster: F Jones; D Howlett, B Murphy, L Mafi, D Hurley; J Manning, P Stringer; M Horan, D Fogarty, J Hayes; M O'Driscoll capt, D Ryan; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Leamy. Replacements: D Varley, T Buckley, B Holland, T O'Donnell, T Morland, S Deasy, T Gleeson.

Blues: Ben Blair; Leigh Halfpenny, Gareth Thomas, Dafydd Hewitt, Chris Czekaj; Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper; John Yapp, Rhys Thomas, Taufa'ao Filise, Deiniol Jones, Paul Tito, Maama Molitika, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Xavier Rush.
Replacements: Gary Powell, Gareth Williams, Scott Morgan, Andy Powell, Richie Rees, Sam Norton-Knight, Dafydd James.

Referee: Peter Allan (SRU)

ะพ 11:08 AM

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