Magnificent Munster left counting steep injury cost after brilliant win over Glasgow

Patrick McCarry

GLASGOW 5-14 MUNSTER

04:28. That is how long Peter O’Mahony lasted against Glasgow Warriors and he was in the wars for the whole time he was on the Scotstoun pitch.

Munster had another impressive away performance to beat Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship quarter finals. Two first half tries put them in a strong position after their hosts were reduced to 14 men after a red card tackle on Conor Murray.

After only 70 seconds of the match, Peter O’Mahony did further damage to an arm that was already strapped before kick-off.

The openside pounced on a loose ball, after a Glasgow kick, but was kicked when he was on the deck. He looked in considerable pain after the collision.

Sensing that Peter O’Mahony was nursing an injured arm, Glasgow centre Sione Tuipulotu targeted him in the centre of the park.

He burst through the injured shoulder of O’Mahony and had a 30-metre line break before Mike Haley brought him down. The Munster captain received treatment before a lineout and played on for another minute before accepting his race was run.

There were sad scenes as a crestfallen O’Mahony trudged off, leaving his team to do battle against Glasgow without him.

Peter O’Mahony leaves the pitch after his arm injury. (Credit: URC)

Snyman and Murray join Peter O’Mahony on sidelines

Before 30 minutes had even passed on the Scotstoun match clock, RG Snyman and Conor Murray had joined Peter O’Mahony on the sidelines.

Snyman went off for a concussion check and did not return while Conor Murray was taken out by a high, red card tackle from Glasgow’s Tom Jordan. Diarmuid Barron and Calvin Nash [concussion] were also injured in the game.

Munster were 7-0 up, through a converted Malakai Fekitoa try, when Jordan was sent off. They doubled that advantage to 14-0 before half-time when Antoine Frisch crashed over to score.

Glasgow battened down the hatches until the break them regrouped and went for broke in the second half. They had the man disadvantage but the home crowd were roaring them on and their attacking play was of the more sustained variety.

The only problem was a sizeable one – a stout Munster defence led by makeshift captain Tadhg Beirne and Gavin Coombes.

Kyle Steyn got over in the corner with 10 minutes to go but his try was left unconverted. Tuipulotu was yellow-carded for a high tackle – albeit a passive one – on Fekitoa as Glasgow finished with 13 men.

Munster rallied well to spend a big chunk of the final stages and closed out the game to set up a URC semi-final clash with Leinster, next Saturday.

OUR MAN OF THE MATCH: Tadhg Beirne (Munster)