Lacklustre Reds are a Myl off it
Ospreys Munster
18
10 BY JOHN FALLON Munster’s winning start to the season was smashed by a 37-year-old out-half and by a side that never looked like scoring a try all night.
And Munster didn’t manage a single linebreak in a dismal show in Swansea where three late efforts from distance from Ben Healy failed to grab a losing bonus point.
Jack Crowley produced a decent first start at out-half but the 21-year-old was let down by the sloppiness all around him.
In the end the reliable old boot of veteran Stephen Myler was enough for Ospreys to end an 11-match losing run to Munster.
Ospreys, despite missing five Welsh internationals ahead of their clash next week against the All Blacks, did enough with three kicks from Myler to lead 9-3 at the end of a torrid opening half devoid of running rugby at Swansea.com Stadium on a near perfect night.
Munster eventually got over following a lineout drive after 54 minutes with scrum-half Craig Casey finishing and Crowley landed a superb conversion to cut the gap to 12-10 after Myler got his fourth kick.
Both sides emptied their benches after that. Conor Murray and Damian de Allende, on opposite sides on the Lions tour to South Africa, both made their return to Munster at the same time.
But it was Ospreys who extended their lead 16 minutes from time when Myler landed his fifth penalty from the right to make it 15-10.
Ben Healy came on for Crowley while Ospreys brought on former Irish U20 Jack Regan, son of Offaly All-ireland hurling winner Daithi, for his debut.
Myler had a chance to put two scores between the sides 18 minutes from time when Andrew Conway was pinged and the out-half duly obliged and maintained his 100% record with his sixth kick to make it 18-10.
Healy then missed two penalties and a drop goal to salvage a bonus point.