MAGNERS LEAGUE REPORTS: Glasgow Warriors 13 Munster 26:MAGNERS LEAGUE leaders Munster took another giant step towards this season's Celtic League title with a deserved and convincing win over Glasgow at Firhill last night to underline the success of Irish rugby this season.
Moreover Munster grabbed a bonus point from their four try victory, three of the touchdowns scored by man-of-the-match Niall Ronan, a key player in the visitors dominant pack ably led by Ireland benchman Mick O’Driscoll.
But it was behind the scrum where Munster made ground, with long touch finders from Paul Warwick and a couple of crucial breaks by the outside half that split the Glasgow defence. Munster’s other massive contibutor was Peter Stringer who in the second-half kicked astutely to pin Glasgow back in their own 22.
It was Munster who had the first chance for points but the 45-metre kick at goal by out half Paul Warwick was pulled wide of the posts. Minutes later Glasgow showed how to take their chances.
From a free kick Johnnie Beattie ploughed into the Munster defence and when the ball was churned out Scotland centre Max Evans used his pace to slice through midfield, rounding Keith Earls, before delivering the scoring pass to winger Lomi Fa’atau.
Glasgow’s lead was short as Munster turned up the heat in the build up to an excellent score, skipper Mick O’Driscoll laying on a pop pass to give flanker Niall Ronan a clear run to the line for a try converted by Warwick.
Warriors, however, made an immediate reposte as Scotland flanker Kelly Brown ran a free kick before plunging over for a try to give the home side a 10-7 lead.
Munster, shaken by Glasgow’s second try, roared back on the offensive following a long touch finder from Warwick and only desperate defence from home full back Bernardo Stortoni stopped a dangerous backline attack from Munster. But Munster made no mistake minutes later when they attacked from a set scrum, Warwick skipping past Parks before slipping the ball to try scorer Keith Earls and then adding the conversion.
Glasgow had a chance to reduce Munster’s lead with a penalty attempt but Parks was off target for a fourth time in the match. But when number eight James Coughlin was sent to the sin-bin for slowing down Glasgow ball after Max Evans had cut through the Munster defence, Parks, having missed four kicks at goal, finally succeeded to narrow the lead to just one point.
Almost immediately Munster had an opportunity to restore the four points margin but this time Warwick was unable to goal his kick leaving his side holding on to a 14-13 lead at the break.
It was the strength of the forwards that produced the dividend, a close range try for Ronan to give the flanker his second score of the match.
The visitors then utilised the wind to good advantage with a long penalty touch finder from Warwick to give his forwards a five meter line-out. It was the invitation for a typical Munster try, a clean take, the drive and then the ball dotted down over the line to give Ronan his hat-trick and his side a bonus point.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: B Stortoni; L Fa'atau, M Evans, R Jackson, C Shaw; D Parks, M McMillan; J Va'a, F Thomson, M Low, T Barker, A Kellock, J Eddie, J Beattie, K Brown. Replacements: D Hall for Thomson (53), K Tkachuk for Low (60) , D Turner for Barker (56), C Forrester for Beattie (12), C Gregor for Stortoni (29), JM Nunez Piossek for McMillan (65), P Horne for Parks (59).
MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, B Murphy; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, D Fogarty, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, A Quinlan, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: M Essex, D Hurley for Buckley (60), B Holland for Ryan (69), T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, J Manning, K Lewis for Hurley (67).
Referee: T Hayes (Wales).
