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Munster defeated Cardiff Blues from the top of Guinness Conference B PRO14 with an entertaining extra points victory at Thomond Park.
The first game of the competition Monday night outside of the holiday period caught fire quickly thanks to the first attempts of Rey Lee-Lo and Gavin Coombes.
The eighth Coombes completed his double to help Munster lead 17-13 at halftime, with Ben Healy and Jarrod Evans landing three kicks each.
There were five swashbuckling 16-minute attempts on either side of the hour mark, as scores from Kevin O’Byrne, Jack O’Donoghue and replacement JJ Hanrahan kept a Munster looking for volleys out front.
Aled Summerhill and Willis Halaholo were paired on two high-quality touchdowns for Cardiff, who failed to claim their own bonus point.
It took center Lee-Lo just a minute to burst behind the posts after a deft set-up by Halaholo and Evans, who quickly converted.
Halaholo’s subsequent sin for a foot trip on Dan Goggin invited Munster forward, and Coombes moved closer for the seven-point leveling.
James Botham’s breakdown of defense set up an Evans penalty in the 16th minute, before Munster rejected three points in response.
After John Hodnett was caught twice, Italian referee Andrea Piardi saw Coombes grounded in the 26th minute.
Healy’s conversion was quickly followed by a second penalty from Evans, but Munster’s half was able to punish Botham’s high tackle over O’Byrne for a four-point lead at halftime.
Botham’s attacking intelligence on the open side got Cardiff out of trouble early in the second half, with Munster unable to capitalize on some evasive runs on his back.
Although the post denied Healy from the tee, Cardiff’s well-organized defense was breached soon after. He hit a penalty in the corner and hooker O’Byrne jumped from the lineout with Healy converting.
The territory-hungry Blues fought back in three minutes, a quick break from mid-high Evans was finished by Summerhill with a deft sidestep around Mike Haley. Evans also converted from the right to 24-20.
However, Lee-Lo’s fumble on the restart allowed Munster to build for O’Donoghue’s extra points effort, the man of the match proved unstoppable from close range. Healy converted, but again Cardiff struck back.
Munster went too high over Halaholo, who had the power to crash in another well-crafted move from a lineout, but the province’s enthusiasm for getting the ball through their hands was rewarded with a magnificent 67th-minute winning goal.
A brilliant construction game, including some deft deliveries from Rhys Marshall and Damian De Allende, sent Hanrahan spinning from the right wing to end the hopes of the weary Blues.
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