United Rugby Championship: Connacht down Munster while Lions steal a win against Edinburgh

Connacht claimed an impressive 20-11 win against Munster in an Irish derby on Friday on Sportsground’s new 4g pitch.

The game was tightly contested for most of the clash as Munster took a slim 8-5 lead into halftime before the host started taking control of the game.

The victory was sealed by Connacht courtesy of a 78th-minute Paul Boyle try in what was a magnificent evening for the hosts.

Click here to see teams and scorers

Connacht won two early scrum penalties on the all-weather surface before Jack Carty’s long skip pass sent Hansen scampering over in the seventh minute.

The near post denied a slightly rusty Carty from the conversion and a subsequent penalty. His opposite number Healy kicked the ball dead as Munster struggled to get going.

However, at the start of the second quarter, Munster’s lineout maul put the try-line within reach. Campbell’s diving finish in the left corner came from a looping Healy pass.

It remained 5-5 with defences on top, Oisin Dowling stealing two Munster lineouts and Tadhg Beirne picking off two turnover penalties.

Dave Kilcoyne marched the visitors forward from a deflected Peter O’Mahony kick. Connacht infringed on the edge of their 22 and Healy gave his side a three-point interval lead.

Munster were rewarded for their pragmatic approach with a second Healy penalty early on the restart.

Although replacement Jeremy Loughman steadied Munster’s scrum, they were still second best in the lineout. A brilliant Fitzgerald kick set up the bulldozing drive that delivered Bealham’s TMO-confirmed try.

Carty’s frustration grew as he missed a second conversion. He passed the kicking duties to full-back Fitzgerald, who punished Beirne for going off his feet on the hour mark.

Quick hands released Hansen to set up a promising spell for Connacht. Munster repelled them but could not avoid a third defeat in four games.

Click Here: Liverpool FC Jersey Sale

There was no stopping Boyle from a close-in ruck after the maul was again the ideal launchpad. Fitzgerald converted with aplomb.

Lions edge thriller against Edinburgh

After a stand-off start Lions fly-half Gianni Lombard was off target with a penalty attempt and then a drop-goal effort, the stalemate was broken midway through the first half after Blair Kinghorn sent a penalty to touch.

Lineout ball was cleanly won and the Edinburgh maul eventually got over the line, with Bill Mata finishing off.

Kinghorn curled his conversion attempt wide, and Lombard then missed another attempt to get the Lions off the mark with a penalty.

The visitors drew level five minutes before the break following their one sustained attack in the first half.

Some powerful carries forced Edinburgh – beaten by the Bulls and the Stormers on their recent tour to South Africa – to funnel in towards the posts, and eventually enough space was created for full-back Andries Coetzee to finish off. Lombard’s conversion came back off a post.

Edinburgh regained the lead 10 minutes into the second half after a move down the line ended with Emiliano Boffelli passing to Darcy Graham.

The winger beat the first man then dived over the line as two more defenders leapt in to try to force him into touch. Boffelli, who had crucially come off his wing to provide the extra man, converted to give Edinburgh a 12-5 lead.

The Lions quickly hit back, however. A move in midfield appeared innocuous enough when Henco van Wyk collected a pass, but when Matt Currie and James Lang both failed to put him down, space opened up in front of him and he raced clear to the line. Lombard’s conversion levelled the scores.

Right on the hour mark Edinburgh went in front again when Ben Muncaster finished off a lineout maul. Boffelli added the two points again.

There was still a lot of fight left in the Lions, though, and they got their own third try five minutes later when number eight Francke Horn finished off from close range. Lombard’s conversion drew the Lions level once more.

Seven minutes from time a hack ahead deep into Edinburgh territory ended with Graham being penalised for not releasing – and also limping off injured. Lombard scored to make it 22-19 to the Lions, and that was enough.