Munster's top eight hopes dented with defeat away at Cardiff

Kenneth Fox

Munster’s chances of reaching the top eight play-off places in the United Rugby Championship took another dent as they were beaten for the first time by a Welsh region in 11 matches.

Two yellow cards did for the visitors, who had been beaten by the Bulls at home the previous weekend. They came into the game in seventh place, one point behind their hosts, and saw Cardiff steal a march by moving up to fifth.

Munster now have home games against Benetton Rugby and Ulster in which to ensure they can reach the play-offs.

Cardiff came into the game on a high after picking up five points against the Ospreys the previous weekend, and they started as they left off with all the early pressure. It looked as though that had paid off for them when scrum half Johan Mulder raced over in only the fifth minute after a bust up the middle from charging prop Danny Southworth.

Italian referee Gianluca Gnecchi had been in line with the final pass and was happy to let the try stand and for Ben Thomas to take, and miss, the conversion. Tadhg Beirne made his feelings known, and eventually the TMO came in and the try was ruled out.

A poor midfield pass by the home back line finally presented Munster with a chance to move up field, and then in the 12th minute,e Jack Crowley kicked the first penalty of the game into the left corner. This was familiar territory for Beirne’s forwards, and after a drive up to the posts, a superb 25 metre pass by Craig Casey gave Calvin Nash a clear run to the line for a try.

Crowley added the extras, and Munster were on the board. Back came Cardiff and their hooker and skipper Liam Belcher was just held up in the left corner.

He put his toe in touch as he went for the line and from the throw in Niall Scannell was off the mark. Cardiff opted for a throw, hit James Botham at the back and then went for the drive.

When the first effort failed, they drove off the side and Fineen Wycherley was spotted tapping down a pass. He saw yellow, and in the next five minutes, Cardiff struck twice.

Belcher made the bust for the first score before Thomas and Sheedy showed good hands to release Gabe Hamer-Webb on the left wing. Then the wing beat Nash and Mike Haley to a cross-field kick on his 10 metre line and release Taulupe Faletau on the charge.

The legendary Wales and British & Irish Lions No 8 raced up to the 22 before sending an inside pass to centre Harri Millar,d who finished off close to the posts. Sheedy converted, and Cardiff had the lead on the half-hour mark.

No sooner had Wycherley returned to the field than Munster conjured up a second try to ensure they went into the break with a 14-12 lead. Once again, it was a Crowley penalty kick into the corner that set up the attacking platform before Haley was worked over with some neat back-line interplay, Crowley adding the extras.

That was the first sign of Munster getting into some form of rhythm, and they carried that on in the second half. Having snuffed out a Josh Adams interception seven minutes after the restart, Nash easily catching the Welsh speedster on half-way, they used another Crowley kick into the home 22 to launch a devastating back line raid.

That got them up to the line near the right corner and from quick recycled ball Tom Farrell was able to slice through to score at the posts. Crowley knocked over the conversion and all of a sudden there was a nine point gap.

That was then turned into a five-point advantage for the home side when two TMO interventions worked against Munster. Firstly, Mr Rossini brought Munster back to a line-out five metres from their line after they thought they had stolen the ball.

It was ruled out for a tap on the arm of Josh McNally and from the ensuing line-out Belcher got over the line and was seemingly held up. Back came Mr Rossini and after a long deliberation it was decided that Jack O’Donohue had come in from an offside position and denied him a try.

That earned Cardiff a penalty try and a yellow card for the Munster man. Worse was to follow before his return as Mulder burrowed his way over for the bonus point try, and Thomas’ conversion gave Cardiff a five-point lead with 17 minutes to play.

Cardiff dominated from there, and Sheedy had the chance to take away the losing bonus point with a drop goal attempt and then a penalty that struck the upright.