BONUS OUT OF REACH

De Allende & Reds disappointed after laboured European display

Munster 19 Castres 13 BY JOHN FALLON MUNSTER failed to get a bonus point against a Castres side who have now lost on all eight visits to Thomond Park.

Indeed, Munster faced a nervous finish when the French side struck for a late try in a dismal game to get within striking distance. But the hosts held on at the end of a tumultuous week.

Springbok Damain de Allende provided some of the highlights for a struggling Munster but it wasn’t a flawless display from him either on a night when the crowd of 21,000 were subdued for long periods.

“We are happy to get the win but I think we left a bit out there. It’s a very good win but the boys just feel a little bit disappointed,” he said.

“When we held on to the ball we got metres but we tried to look for the offload too much and it was just a bit frustrating on the field where we felt like we should have scored but we didn’t,” said de Allende.

Ben Healy, in for first Champions Cup start in the absence of the injured Joey Carbery, kicked three penalties in the opening half to lead 9-3 at the end of a dull opening half.

He landed the first effort from 47 metres but the other two were closer to goal, with Johann van Graan’s men creating few try-scoring chances.

World Cup winner de Allende opted to go for the line despite a two-man overlap and was adjudged, somewhat harshly, to have knocked on in the tackle from Castres scrum-half Santiago Arata six minutes from the interval.

Castres, beaten at home in their opening game by Harlequins, had 46% possession in the opening half but rarely threatened, but they got off the mark just before the break when Puma Ben Urdapilleta tapped over a penalty.

De Allende was key to the creation of the try which finally saw Munster pull away after 58 minutes, with his break forcing Castres on the backfoot and Jack O’Donoghue supplied the finish, driving through full-back Larregain and managing to get the ball down in the right corner for his first Champions Cup try in 31 appearances.

Healy converted to make it 16-3, although Castres quickly responded with a penalty from Urdapilleta.

Healy cancelled to make it 19-6 after 69 minutes but Castres, despite finishing with 14 after replacement winger Louis Le Brun was injured, got a bonus point when Kevin Kornath was mauled over three minutes from time.

MUNSTER: Trt: O’Donoghue Con: Healy Pens: Healy 4 CASTRES: Try: Kornath Con: Urdapilleta Pens: Urdapilleta 2