Fired-up Connacht upset the odds in flooring Munster men

Munster 20

Connacht 24

Rob Murphy at Thomond Park

IMITATION is certainly a form of flattery. Whether it’s the greatest form of flattery is a whole other debate but Connacht looked a bit like Munster of old on Friday evening as they pushed and pulled, harried and hustled, wrangled and wrestled from the opening minute to the last glorious intake of breath when the referee blew the final whistle once and for all.

A first win in Limerick for six years. A third away win in this season’s inter-provincial tussles. Let those points sink in. This was a moment to savour because it was both special and unexpected. It came from a deep desire to make amends after the drubbing by Leinster in Galway. Atonement was the goal and just six days on from a low point in a seesaw season, Connacht stood up to be counted.

This win wasn’t about the Rainbow Cup. Connacht have little chance of making the final against the leading South African franchise while Munster, thanks to all their bonus points, are still in with a shot but this did feel like a significant moment all the same.

The encounter was tense and tempestuous and fiercely entertaining as a result. This fixture had an edge, these sides don’t like each other these days – that has been clear in each and everyone one of their four encounters since August. From start to finish, the hits were hard with tempers boiling over on numerous occasions. Referee Dan Jones seemed almost caught off guard by the ferocity of it all and he made mistakes that affected both sides as a result.

The match story is one of Connacht holding a ten-point lead on two occasions, 17-7 in the first half and 24-14 just after half time. Munster kept within range though and seemed in good fettle going into the final quarter, dominating possession and territory. At that point they introduced Tadgh Beirne, Dave Kilcoyne and Conor Murray who were brought on the finish the job. They didn’t know at the time, but they would soon find out that they had been given the wrong script.

Munster were meant to win and picked a team packed full of internationals and current and former Lions, but Connacht Lion Bundee Aki was on the sidelines serving out the final game of his suspension from the Six Nations – remarkably, he missed all three away inter-provincial victories this year.

Andy Friend had picked a new look side with some emerging stars on the field and plenty of experienced pros on the bench, six of the eight replacements had over 100 appearances to their name.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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