REDS IN LAST 8.. BUT AT WHAT COST?
Munster warriors grind it out at Thomond
TADHG BEIRNE will have a scan on his knee when he heads into Ireland camp tomorrow morning ahead of the Six Nations.
Beirne, Munster’s man of the match in their crucial 9-7 Champions Cup pool win over Exeter at Thomond Park last night, was forced off with a knee problem (above).
It would be a blow for Joe Schmidt to lose the versatile forward ahead of the championship opener against England on Saturday week.
“It’s pretty early,” said Munster boss Johann van Graan. “Hopefully it’s not serious, but he couldn’t continue. We’ll get the information across to Joe -- 11 of our lads are going tomorrow. Tadhg’s a special player.”
MUNSTER dogged it out at Thomond Park to put themselves among Europe’s last eight standing for the 18th time.
Joey Carbery’s 73rd minute penalty (right) – his third success out of three attempts at the posts – edged a priceless victory for the province that saw them top Pool 2.
“We always knew it was going to come down to this game and there was a lot on the line, so I’m pretty stoked to slot that,” said Carbery.
In the end the Reds needed a superb line-out steal by Billy Holland, who had just replaced man of the match Tadhg Beirne to turn the tide before Carbery prevented only the province’s fourth European loss at their Limerick fortress.
It was pure Munster grit that got them over the line and into the quarter-finals, although they won’t be at home for that end of March tie.
Exeter recovered from their failure to win any of their first three pool games to put themselves in contention. They knew that to finish the job they had to enter Munster’s bearpit and come away with five points to the hosts’ one – or else four points to none.
It was an epic, nail-biting affair, and Munster’s determination was summed when CJ Stander pulled Jonny Hill’s jersey off his back when the lock got him- self offside. That resulted in Carbery’s seventh minute penalty to put the Reds ahead against the run of play. Exeter hit back impressively with the game’s only try just six minutes later. Dan Armand scrambled over with help from Alex Hepburn and Joe Simmonds hit the conversion. But Munster’s scored next from a scrum penalty – Carbery making it a one-point game. It remained that way until the break as Exeter failed to take advantage of penalties kicked into Munster’s 22. It was the hosts who came out with more intent but Conor Murray twice picked the wrong option when they built pressure in Exeter’s half.
Murray was withdrawn with 15 minutes to go and suddenly Munster were on the back foot when Beirne was injured and Nic White kicked the visitors deep into the hosts’ 22.
War horse Holland made a crucial lineout steal and within a minute they were on the charge. This time Peter O’mahony was awarded a penalty at the line-out. Carbery stepped up to split the posts – and won the spoils. MUNSTER: Pens: Carbery (3) EXETER: Try: Armand Con: Simmonds