Munster overcome Harlequins challenge
Munster 15 Harlequins 9
Munster chalked up their fourth European success over Harlequins in five meetings as first-half tries from Anthony Horgan and Denis Leamy secured a 15-6 Heineken Cup victory at a sodden Thomond Park.
Quins, last season’s Parker Pen Challenge Cup winners, felt the wrath of Welsh referee Hugh Watkins as he sin-binned three of their players – Maurice FitzGerald, Jeremy Staunton and substitute Ace Tiatia – in a dour battle.
Horgan’s 13th-minute try was the highlight, as swift interplay from Christian Cullen and Ronan O’Gara saw the Munstermen hit the front for the first time.
They did endure a fretful time at the death as Staunton, a former Munster stalwart, kicked Quins back within six.
Staunton hacked over his second penalty attempt in the 10th minute to give the visitors an early lead.
Two minutes later, FitzGerald and Munster prop Marcus Horan were binned for scrum infringements as Watkins gave little away to the front row in tough underfoot conditions.
Horgan’s effort – his 12th try in European competition – handed Alan Gaffney’s side an advantage they did not relinquish.
A deliberate 20th-minute knock-on from Staunton saw the Quins fly-half sent to the line, and with the Zurich Premiership side down to 13 men, Leamy struck for a try on his Heineken Cup debut.
From a broken-up scrum, former Munster skipper Jim Williams surged free and offloaded neatly for young flanker Leamy to glide over in the left corner.
O’Gara’s brilliant touchline conversion put Munster nine in front at 12-3, and with little in the way of attacking play coming the way of Lions centres Will Greenwood and Dafydd James, Quins were living off scraps.
O’Gara tagged on a 25-metre penalty a minute before the break, as Munster turned into the increasing wind and rain.
The adverse weather mitigated against any expansive play in the second half, and to Quins’ credit they dictated much of the final 40.
Right winger George Harder gradually came into the game and with their front five edging Munster’s, Staunton notched a 46th-minute penalty in reply.
Replacement hooker Tiatia was banished to the line for a needless high tackle 12 minutes later as Quins turned the screw. Staunton was finding his feet and made certain of a tumultuous ending as he kicked his third penalty with 13 minutes remaining.
A drop goal from Staunton was blocked by man of the match Anthony Foley, and a late dart at the Munster line from former Connacht full-back Gavin Duffy put home nerves and Munster’s unbeaten Heineken Cup run at Thomond Park under a degree of threat. But Gaffney’s men held on despite not scoring in the second period.
