MUNSTER 26-10 EXETER (34-23 on aggregate)
Inspired by Peter O’Mahony and Joey Carbery, Munster have reached the Champions Cup quarter finals.
Peter O’Mahony had a superb game for the two-time European champions, making four turnovers and supplying a great pass – as emergency scrumhalf – for Joey Carbery’s try.
He was mobbed by teammates as his name was announced, across Thomond Park, as Man of the Match. Sam Warburton, who had jersey battles with him on the 2017 Lions Tour, described the Munster captain as, “Phenomenal… what a leader they have, in him.”
Exeter hit the front when Sam Maunder got over for a try to reward their early pressure. To add to Munster’s woes, Conor Murray was sin-binned but they weathered the early storm and were actually leading 6-5 [two Joey Carbery penalties] when their scrumhalf returned.
Munster stretched their lead after 26 minutes when Joey Carbery backed himself, targeted a soft shoulder and jigged over to score. He converted that and Munster, watched on my Jack Nowell and several injured Exeter stars in the stands, led 13-5 at the break.
Exeter Chiefs player Jack Nowell, wearing a Munster jersey, looks on during the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 Second Leg match, at Thomond Park in Limerick. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile)Simon Zebo and Damian De Allende seal it
Exeter got a second half try through Jacques Vermeulen but turnovers from the likes of Fineen Wycherley, John Hodnett and Peter O’Mahony kept the home crowd cheering.
Carbery added a couple of second half penalties but it was a Damian De Allende try, assisted by a sublime Simon Zebo offload, that sealed it.
That is world-class from Simon Zeebo 🤩@Munsterrugby work the ball out wide to their talisman keeping the width, who then finds Damian de Allende with an incredible back door offload ✨
Wonderful pass! 👏#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/v01AUd05yv
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 16, 2022
“I’m very proud of the boys,” said O’Mahony after the game. “It certainly wasn’t perfect but it was dogged and we stuck it out.”
Up next for Munster is either Toulouse or Ulster in the last eight.
Our Man of the Match: Peter O’Mahony (Munster)
