Munster Rugby threw away a 10-point lead at Half Time in Thomond Park in their first game of the season on Saturday evening in a 20-26 loss to Glasgow Warriors. Clayton McMillan’s side came up short in the first round of the United Rugby Championship to a Glasgow side that looked the fitter team in the second half.
Munster made the brighter start to the game with JJ Hanrahan converting an early penalty before a fabulous 50/22 kick from the fly-half set Munster up in the corner. They moved the ball sharply off the lineout for Ben O’Connor to go over in the opposite corner.
Hanrahan slotted the conversion to put Munster into a commanding 10-0 lead. Glasgow responded on the half hour mark with Jamie Dobie scoring from close range in his 100th cap for Glasgow Warriors.
Michael Milne powered over shortly before half time for Munster to make the score 17-7 going into the second half. Unfortunately, the second half belonged to the visitors.
SECOND HALF MELTDOWN
Nathan McBeth went over early in the second half to cut the deficit to three points. Hanrahan knocked over a penalty soon after, but this would prove to be the last score for Munster who ran out of gas, and ideas.
George Horne crossed in the 67th minute and converted his own try to give Glasgow the lead for the first time in the game, 21-20.
After more sustained pressure from Glasgow, they delivered the final blow in the 76th minute. Dobie went over in the corner again to secure a 26-20 victory for the visitors.
Munster at least claimed a losing bonus point but left with lots of things to think about before The Bulls visit Thomond Park this Saturday night.
MUNSTER: M Haley (D Kelly, 18); D Kilgallen, A Nankivell, S O’Brien, B O’Connor; JJ Hanrahan (C O’Shea, 70), B O’Donovan (J O’Riordan, 59); M Milne (J Wycherley, 49), D Barron – captain (M van der Merwe, 32 – HIA), K Brookes (M Ala’alatoa, 49); E O’Connell, F Wycherley; J O’Donoghue (B Gleeson, 29-39 – HIA), A Kendellen (J Hodnett, 59), G Coombes (B Gleeson, 59).
GLASGOW WARRIORS: J McKay; K Rowe (B Kuenzle, 61), O Smith, S McDowall – captain, J Dobie; D Lancaster, G Horne; P Schickerling (N McBeth, 46), G Hiddleston (S Stephen, 46), M Walker (S Talakai, 46); G Brown (S Cummings, 59), M Williamson; A Miller (M Duncan, 59), R Darge, M Fagerson.
Yellow card: O Smith 9-19 mins
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)