Sport

Cardiff frustrated as Munster extend their lead at the top

RUGBY/Cardiff 15 Munster 16: MUNSTER RECORDED their first win on Blues’ territory since 2005 last night, running out victors…

IAN BRANSFIELD at the Cardiff City Stadium
Sat Mar 26 2011 - 00:00

RUGBY/Cardiff 15 Munster 16:MUNSTER RECORDED their first win on Blues' territory since 2005 last night, running out victors at the Cardiff City Stadium to extend their lead at the top of the Magners League table.

James Coughlan scored the only try while Ronan O’Gara added 11 points with the boot during a tight and sometimes nervy contest. The Corkman also left 12 points behind him, which on another day might have come back to haunt his side.

Leigh Halfpenny kicked four first-half penalties for the home side and Dan Parks added a drop goal, but it wasn’t enough to garner a win for the Blues.

Munster’s win also put a serious dent in the hopes of one of their main challengers.

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Of the positives, 21-year-old scrumhalf Conor Murray once again showed why he is so highly rated in his province with an assured display on just his second competitive start.

The return of Felix Jones after a six-month injury layoff also came as a boost to senior management.

The exciting young fullback showed a few glimpses of his potential with ball in hand, and was unerring under the high ball.

Munster fell behind to a penalty by Halfpenny in the second minute. O’Gara pulled his first effort wide and Tony Buckley departed with a blood injury.

However, dominant Munster crossed for the opening try 10 minutes in. Keith Earls started the move with an explosive midfield break, and his offload found Coughlan in support and his momentum took him clear.

O’Gara converted and then traded penalties with Halfpenny as the Blues were reduced to 14 men after John Yapp threw a punch at Mick O’Driscoll.

Munster should have done better to capitalise on a searing break by x Jones midway through the half, but O’Gara knocked over another penalty to extend the lead to 13-6 after Cardiff infringed at the scrum.

Tempers then boiled before half-time with Damien Varley and Cardiff substitute prop Sam Hobbs both sent to the bin for a vigorous bout of handbags.

Halfpenny tagged on two more penalties before the break to leave Cardiff trailing by a point.

O’Gara missed an easy penalty before Cardiff regained the lead as Parks dropped a goal just after coming on as a 52nd-minute substitute.

A rampaging run by Paul O’Connell paved the way for another penalty by O’Gara on the hour mark as the lead once again changed hands.

At 16-15 and with the game on a knife edge, O’Gara missed another two more penalty opportunities, one of them eminently kickable.

Parks then went close with another drop which faded just wide as Munster held firm thereafter to register the win.

CARDIFF BLUES: C Czekaj; R Mustoe (T Slater 74), C Laulala, D Hewitt (J Roberts 52), L Halfpenny; C Sweeney (D Parks 52) , L Williams; J Yapp (S Hobbs 32), R Williams (K Dacey 45), S Andrews (N Trevett 34-38); M Paterson, P Tito (B Davies 45); A Pretorius (S Hobbs 25 -32), M Williams, X Rush.

MUNSTER: F Jones (S Tuitupou 65); D Howlett, J Murphy, L Mafi, K Earls; R O’Gara, C Murray (P Stringer 57); W du Preez (M Horan 55), D Varley (M Sherry 60), T Buckley (S Archer 10-15); P O’Connell (capt), M O’Driscoll (D Ryan 60); J Coughlan, N Ronan (P O’Mahony 60), D Leamy.

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland).