Guinness PRO12: Munster go top after 22-10 win over Glasgow
Last Updated: 02/03/15 11:09am
Munster moved into pole position in the Guinness PRO12 after cruising to a 22-10 win over heavily-depleted Glasgow in their top-of-the-table clash at Musgrave Park.
The dominant hosts ran in four tries in a convincing bonus-point victory, taking full advantage of the previous leaders being robbed of no fewer than 23 players due to a combination of international call-ups, injuries and suspensions.
Anthony Foley's side were on the front foot from the opening whistle, but they had to wait until almost the half-hour mark before Jack O'Donoghue managed their first try.
Eusebio Guinazu added a second to put Munster 12-0 up at the interval and, after Glasgow rallied in the second half, further scores from Keith Earls and CJ Stander put the result beyond doubt.
Munster raced out of the blocks and looked certain to score from an early turnover until John Ryan's wayward offload to Duncan Williams went to ground, while a strong run up the left wing moments later by Earls was halted by tenacious tackling from Peter Murchie and Niko Matawalu.
Connor Braid did well to intercept a poor pass from Andrew Conway as Munster pressured again, and Ian Keatley missed a chance to put the first points on the board when his 39-metre penalty drifted wide of the target.
But Munster were finally rewarded for their early dominance on 28 minutes, when Keatley took JJ Hanrahan's pass from a quickly-taken lineout and skipped into the 22 before releasing inside for O'Donoghue to cross.
Keatley, whose kicking was hampered throughout by the wet and blustery conditions, failed to add the extras, but he did split the uprights after Guinazu had powered over from a lineout maul near the left corner three minutes before the break.
Braid pulled three points back after the restart, and the points galvanised the visitors into producing their best spell of the game as they reduced the deficit to just two points on the hour mark.
Fly-half Braid was the architect, feeding Rossouw de Klerk before the powerful tighthead prop strong-armed away a challenge from Williams and touching down under the posts, leaving Braid the simplest of conversions.
But Munster regrouped and registered their third try after a nifty piece of footwork from Earls, who chased down a superb kick from Keatley and flicked the ball up into his hands with his right boot before diving over in the corner.
The home side made sure of the bonus point which ensured they would end the evening on top of the table when CJ Stander barged over following another one-sided maul against a tiring Glasgow defence.
The visitors almost grabbed a losing bonus point with five minutes remaining, but Lee Jones narrowly failed to keep his boot in touch before grounding the ball over the line.
