ROLLERCOASTER RIDE NOW OVER FOR THE REDS..
Reds run into a brick wall as their dream of Euro glory is shattered
MUNSTER’S dream of Champions Cup glory was ended by a clinical Saracens side in the semi-finals at the Aviva Stadium yesterday.
The Reds fronted up well in the first half but couldn’t make their dominance count as they trailed 6-3 at half-time.
After the break, the English visitors went for the jugular and tries from Mako Vunipola and Chris Wyles – coupled with Owen Farrell’s 16 kicked points – saw Rassie Erasmus’s men fall to a 26-10 defeat.
The Reds coach (above) said: “It’s disappointing, and it’s sad. “Overall we weren’t clinical. “We know we’ll grow into a great team and we know we’ll grow into a competitive team at this level, at European level. It will take time but we’ll get there.”
MUNSTER’S Euro dream ran slap bang into a brick wall at the Aviva Stadium as the Champions Cup holders marched confidently into the final.
The Reds started their record 12th semi-final appearance in a blaze of fury.
However, they sorely lacked the guile needed to crack Mark Mccall’s masterful Saracens defence and when the time came, Mako Vunipola struck a fatal blow for Sarries to claim victory in front of a crestfallen sea of red.
Munster bossed the first half but badly missed Conor Murray’s steady, steely presence.
They trailed 6-3 at the break despite bombarding the Sarries 22.
Beyond Simon Zebo’s kick-chase excellence and Tommy O’donnell’s tigerish back row running, there was little subtlety to Munster’s pressure game and their rivals comfortably soaked it up.
Sarries were fortunate that Sean Maitland twice escaped censure for tackling an opponent in the air – CJ Stander in the early moments, then on Andrew Conway.
But the Premiership champions were down a man in the 24th minute when Jackson Wray caught Duncan Williams high – yet Munster failed to take advantage.
The Reds’ ferocious start culminated in a seventh minute Tyler Bleyendaal penalty – awarded after their scrum was impeded close to the try line.
Owen Farrell restored parity after Dave Kilcoyne was bested in the scrum by Vincent Koch and a penalty ensued – but while Munster then dominated possession, they were constantly frustrated.
That was still the case even when Wray was sin-binned – and indeed it was Sarries who scored next, just six minutes from half-time.
Just as Bleyendaal was kicking clear, Farrell’s tap-tackle tripped his No.10 counterpart and from the scrum to Sarries, man of the match Koch got the better of Kilcoyne again. Farrell fired over the penalty.
Jean Deysel replaced O’donnell with 30 minutes remaining – and just seconds before Sarries butchered a try chance as Chris Ashton failed to hold on as the European try record beckoned.
Another followed just two minutes later when George Kruis only had to touch down but knocked on.
They were let-offs for Munster but Peter O’mahony had to withdraw moments later for a HIA and didn’t return.
Sarries charged over for the game’s first try in the 54th minute, Vunipola and his pack exploiting a poor clearance by Bleyendaal. Farrell added the conversion for a 13-3 lead.
The Munster out-half should have kept his side within seven with a 58th minute penalty but it screwed wide – and Farrell made no mistake off another penalty earned by Vunipola.
Worse was to follow 10 minutes from time when Chris Wyles ran onto Farrell’s grubber to score, with the out-half adding the extra points before signing off with a beautifully struck penalty five minutes from time.
The Reds fans who stayed to the end at least got something to cheer when Stander barged over and Ian Keatley converted.