Leaders Munster edge out Edinburgh

MUNSTER drew first blood for Ireland over Scotland on this rugby weekend after narrowly getting the better of Edinburgh following Blair Kinghorn’s last-minute penalty miss. The full-back’s kick from halfway came up just short as the Guinness Pro12 leaders once again gave a masterclass in grinding out a win. It was a valiant effort from Kinghorn and the only option left for the home side as the referee had signalled it was the last play of the match. It was the Irish outfit’s seventh straight Pro12 win and a major setback for the capital club’s bid to make the top six that automatically qualify for the European Champions Cup. It was a poor performance from the home side who hardly managed to put together any decent attacking moves. Their experienced players such as fly-half Jason Tovey, second row Fraser McKenzie and back-row forward Cornell du Preez were posted missing at key moments. The first half was decent entertainment for the capacity 5,235 crowd at Myreside but the second period deteriorated with lots of unforced errors from both sides. Edinburgh and Munster were missing all their key players who are on international duty in the Scotland-Ireland game at Murrayfield today. Their understudies failed to hit the heights in a game that the Irish outfit held their nerve to win. Edinburgh, now in ninth place, struck first thanks to a Tovey penalty. Munster got the first try which was set up and converted by Tyler Bleyendaal, who made a great break before playing in winger Ronan O’Mahony. Tovey cut the deficit to one point with a penalty after Munster scrum-half Duncan Williams was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on. He then put them ahead with another expert place kick. It took until 15 minutes from time for the first score of the second half when Bleyendaal put Munster ahead with a penalty from in front of the posts. There should have been a grandstand finish but Edinburgh had no teeth in attack and Kinghorn’s miss ensured a Munster win.