Munster plummet to a shock defeat
Munster 13
Cardiff 22
Celtic League Round-up
 European Champions
Munster surprisingly lost to Cardiff by 22-13 in a match where they lacked
any serious attacking threat. The Irish team were missing a host of big
name players through injury and their absence was felt against a competent
Cardiff side.
Munster fans must have known they were in trouble early on when they saw
Cardiff dominating the line-out. Cardiff rattled over three early penalties
to which Munster could muster only a solitary strike from Jeremy Manning.
The gap was reduced to three points at the start of the second-half but
quick fire tries from Chris Czekaj and Scott Morgan put Cardiff in the
driving seat.
A late try from debutant Donnacha Ryan was scant consolation for Munster.
In the other Celtic league game featuring an Irish side Connacht got
their campaign off to an impressive start with a 29-15 victory over Borders.
The Scottish side began stronger and it took some heroic defending in
the first-half to keep Connacht in contention.
Mike Bradley’s men gradually took charge with Mark McHugh’s
penalties leveling the contest after half-an-hour and a Gavin Williams
try ensuring they led at the break.
Further penalties from McHugh and a late, great individual try from Chris
Warwick ensured the points went west of the Shannon.
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