Carbery gets taste of action once again
MUNSTER sealed their 11th win of the Pro14 season with a hardfought victory over Cardiff, but Joey Carbery’s return from injury was the big story of the night.
Johann van Graan sprung Carbery from the bench in the final quarter to get his first taste of action after a frustrating year on the sidelines. It was the Ireland international’s first appearance in the red jersey since January 2020 after several setbacks with an ankle issue which has hampered the Athy man’s progress since August 2019.
Van Graan has carefully managed the Munster No10’s recovery in recent months. Carbery saw little of the ball during his secondhalf cameo but his return is a game-changer for the province and potentially Ireland if he can stay fit in the coming months.
Fittingly, Carbery scored Munster’s final points of the night, converting Niall Scanell’s late try. JJ Hanrahan’s boot kept the visitors in the hunt during a scrappy contest at the Cardiff Arms Park.
It wasn’t pretty but this scrappy win extends the province’s lead over Connacht to nine points at the summit of Conference B.
But it was the Blues who struck first with lock Seb Davies scything through to score the first try of the night. Ben Thomas rattled the post with his conversion attempt, but the hosts were up and running.
Davies went from hero to villain six minutes later when he was sin-binned for a shoulder charge into a ruck. A moment of madness, especially after recent red cards for Peter O’Mahony and Zander Fagerson for similar incidents in the Six Nations.
Munster were having the best of everything against the 14-man hosts with Kevin O’Byrne, Jack O’Sullivan and Damian de Allende causing havoc with ball in hand. A 27th-minute penalty from Hanrahan was scant reward for all their efforts.
When John Ryan was penalised for offside, Thomas extended Cardiff’s lead to 8-3. But Hanrahan would trim their lead with a threepointer just before the break.
Cardiff had Ellis Jenkins and Shane Lewis-Hughes - their pair of Wales flankers - to thank for a number of defensive interventions as Munster continued to apply the pressure.
In fact, it was Thomas who struck next after O’Sullivan - who was having a fine game in the Munster No8 shirt - was pinged for hands in the ruck. The young Cardiff out-half making it 11-6 from the tee.
Munster needed a spark and it arrived thanks to Hanrahan’s chip and regather.
The Kerryman’s surge put the visitors on the the front foot and, after a barrage of close-in carries, Jean Kleyn charged over the line from close range. Hanrahan converted as Munster seized a 13-11 lead.
The penalties were beginning to rack up as Munster found themselves repeatedly on the wrong side of referee Adam Jones’ whistle. Thomas would not have the range with one long-range effort while another kick rattled off the post. Two big let-offs.
Then came the big moment with Carbery entering the fray, the 25year-old replacing Rory Scannell with Hanrahan shifting to centre. And, after almost 14 months on the sidelines, Carbery got immediately smashed by Cardiff centre Ray Lee-Lo after his first touch of the ball. Welcome back to rugby, Joey.
It was the Munster pack who had the final say with Niall Scannell emerging from a surging lineout maul to score in the dying minutes.
Carbery firing over the touchline conversion was a heartening sight.
Another win on the road for the Reds and their star playmaker back on the park. Not a bad night’s work in Cardiff. CARDIFF BLUES: M Morgan; O Lane, M Grady, R Lee-Lo, A Summerhill; B Thomas, J Hill L Jones 66(); C Domachowski (T Bevacqua 72), K Myhill, D Arhip (K Assiratti 66); S Davies (J Ratti 61), R Thornton; S Lewis-Hughes (O Robinson 61), E Jenkins, J Turnbull (capt). Scorers- Tries: Davies pens: Thomas (2). Yellow card: Davies. MUNSTER: M Haley; C Nash (D Sweetnam 74), R Scannell (J Carbery 64), D de Allende, S Daly; JJ Hanrahan, N McCarthy; J Cronin ( L O’Connor 52), K O’Byrne (N Scannell 52), J Ryan (R Salanoa 52); J Kleyn, F Wycherley (B Holland 65); J O’Donoghue (capt) (G Coombes 64), C Cloete, J O’Sullivan Scorers - Tries: Kleyn, N Scannell. Cons: Hanrahan, Carbery. Pens: Hanrahan (2). Referee: A Jones (Wales).