Tom Farrell hat-trick gets Munster victory over 14-man Ulster
Farrell Against Dives To Score Try Over Ramsey Of Ulster Side's By His Cardy/sportsfile Munster Tom Photo Third
Munster’s seesaw season continued on their return to league action as a Tom Farrell hat-trick of tries spearheaded a late come-from-behind bonus-point victory over 14-man Ulster in this URC derby clash at Kingspan Stadium on Friday night.
It was unlikely win for the under-pressure province following the missed opportunity of the previous week when losing 16-14 at Champions Cup pool rivals Castres while the defeat added more misery for Ulster after shipping more than 100 points in their European losses to Toulouse and at home to Bordeaux-Begles.
Ulster’s cause was not helped by a first-half red card for Ireland prop Tom O’Toole and head coach Richie Murphy lost backs Zac Ward and Stuart McCloskey to injuries before half-time while the second off offence ended Munster centre Alex Nankivell’s night with a leg injury on 34 minutes.
Yet amid the carnage and poor play these two rivals served seven tries, O’Toole and Farrell’s first in the opening 40 minutes before the Munster centre added a second soon after the break. Ulster’s Harry Sheridan and Shane Daly exchanged tries midway through the second half before home back row James McNabney’s try and John Cooney’s conversion edged Murphy’s side into a 19-15 lead with five minutes to go.
Up stepped Farrell to rescue Munster in the final minute for his hat-trick as Jack Crowley silenced the Ulster boos with a last-kick penalty.
It was a dire first half, pockmarked by errors as both sides appeared to have picked up where they lost off in last weekend’s dispiriting Champions Cup pool defeats to French sides.
Munster had conceded 17 penalties in their 16-14 loss at Castres and conceded seven more in the opening 40 minutes, O’Toole starting out as the hometown hero with the opening try on seven minutes as Ulster struck from a tap penalty from five metres, Cooney converting.
But momentum finally swayed back towards the men in red when Farrell claimed an unconverted try on 27 minutes and then Ulster went into self-destruct mode, tighthead and try-scorer O’Toole dismissed after dropping his full weight onto an exposed leg belonging to Alex Nankivell on 31 minutes. Nankivell, who had just helped to earn a jackal penalty, paid the price for his hard work, forced off by the leg injury inflicted by O’Toole.
Munster, trailing 7-5, starting the second half sharper, Crowley sending a crossfield kick to the right wing which was collected by Farrell. The centre’s exchange of passes with full-back Mike Haley exposing a short-handed defence before the number 13 scored his second of the evening to push them into a 10-7 lead as Crowley’s wide-out conversion failed to find the target.
Ulster pressed for a response through their lineout maul and were twice held up over the line before hour mark was reached, the visitors forced to defend at length as their rivals made light of their numerical disadvantage, though that did not even last as Rory Scannell was yellow carded on 61 minutes for an off the ball tackle.
Ulster continued to dominate possession into the final quarter, enabled by further Munster inaccuracy which left them repeatedly forced to defend the lineout drive and the home side finally made it pay as replacement forward Harry Sheridan touched down from the set-piece to nudge his side back in front, Cooney’s conversion attempt striking an upright to leave his side 12-10 ahead.
The siege may have ended badly for Munster but they used the restart well, Shane Daly sprinting down the left wing to score his second try in as many appearances either side of being rested in Castres.
Crowley’s touchline conversion was missed to the delight of the home crowd, who had further reason to get behind their team as the game opened up even further, Ulster storming up the other end to pile the pressure on Munster’s tryline once again. Three times in quick succession they threatened to restore their lead, thwarted by last-ditch defending and with eight minutes left they gambled by kicking a penalty to the corner rather than close the three-point gap. It backfired, Munster turning the ball over from the five-metre lineout, the steal coming from replacement academy lock Evan O’Connell.
Another Munster penalty concession soon followed and Ulster were once again camped on their tryline, despite missing touch with the penalty. And ironically the error paid dividends, James McNabney crashing over from close range on 75 minutes, with Cooney’s conversion opening a 19-15 lead.
Now it was Munster’s turn to press and it was that man Farrell who produced the perfect reply, receiving the ball on the left, using great footwork to elude three Ulster defenders to claim a fantastic hat-trick of tries.
Crowley delivered the final blow, converting amid a chorus of boos in the final act of the game as Munster supporters in the distinct minority had the last laugh.
M Lowry; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey (J Murphy, 38), Z Ward (R Telfer, 25; S Wilson, 34); A Morgan, J Cooney; A Warwick, R Herring (J Andrew, 57), T O’Toole; A O’Connor – captain, K Treadwell (H Sheridan, 61); J McNabney, Marcus Rea, D McCann.
T O’Toole 31 mins
E O’Sullivan, Matty Rea, D Shanahan.
M Haley; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell (R Scannell, 34), S Daly; J Crowley, P Patterson (E Coughlan, 45-55 – HIA & 66); J Ryan (D Kilcoyne, 49-68), N Scannell, S Archer (O Jager, 49); T Ahern, F Wycherley (B Gleeson, 61); J O’Donoghue – captain (E O’Connell, 49), J Hodnett (A Kendellen, 56), G Coombes.
R Scannell 61-71 mins
E Clarke
Ben Whitehouse (Wales)