Connacht vs Munster

Connacht crowned their first appearance on the Sportsground's new 4G pitch with a dogged 20-11 United Rugby Championship derby win over Munster.

Carty’s frustration grew as he missed a second conversion. Campbell’s diving finish in the left corner came from a looping Healy pass. A brilliant Fitzgerald kick set up the bulldozing drive that delivered Bealham’s TMO-confirmed try. His opposite number Healy kicked the ball dead as [Connacht](https://www.rugbypass.com/teams/connacht/) close the gap to 11-10, a second Healy penalty followed by an unconverted [Finlay Bealham](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/finlay-bealham/) maul try. [Paul Boyle](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/paul-boyle/) barged over in the 78th minute.

Graham Rowntree offered a blunt assessment of his Munster team's performance after they slipped to their third defeat of the season against Connacht ...

It’s a great way to start the weekend. "Couple of injuries, Pete came off (neck) and we'll see how he pulls up. "Inaccuracy again and the last 15 minutes in particular was littered with ill-discipline, backing up penalty on penalty. I’m keen to bring those guys through as soon as we can and when appropriate so there’s two big positives for me. "That was what we said coming into the game, that it was the team that was going to be the most physical, the most disciplined, and have the least amount of unforced errors, and I think on two of those fronts it was us. We are finding out about some young men coming through.

EPCR Challenge Cup hopefuls Connacht Rugby recorded the first win of their United Rugby Championship campaign with a 20-11 triumph over Munster Rugby at.

Bristol, who travel to USAP in the opening round of EPCR Challenge Cup action on December 9 in Pool A, saw Toby Fricker and Will Capon cross the whitewash, but a scintillating five-try, second-half display from the Chiefs condemned the hosts to defeat. Tries from Mack Hansen, Finlay Bealham and Paul Boyle secured victory for the hosts against Heineken Champions Cup opposition, and augurs well for their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign, which begins with a home game against Newcastle Falcons in Pool A on December 10. EPCR Challenge Cup hopefuls Connacht Rugby recorded the first win of their United Rugby Championship campaign with a 20-11 triumph over Munster Rugby at The Sportsground on Friday.

From the resultant penalty Connacht ran it wide after a few phases and the Munster full-back Joey Carbery found himself in no man's land as a looping Jack Carty ...

The forwards softened up the defence initially and when out-half Ben Healy flung it wide left to Patrick Campbell in the 23rd minute the young Corkman collected to dive over for his first-ever URC try. Connacht opened the scoring in the 8th minute after the Munster front row had been well and truly filleted at scrum time. Luckily for Munster Jack Carty left his kicking boots in the dressing room, as he struck the left upright from an easy-looking conversion, and managed to hit the same post from an 18th-minute penalty straight in front of the posts.

First their tighthead, Finlay Bealham, who was deservedly named player of the match even if he had competition for that prize. Mack Hansen looked electric on ...

Suddenly space appeared out wide – and Carty didn’t waste time exploiting it – throwing a looping pass left to the touchline where Hansen was waiting to collect and score. Somehow they went into the break 8-5 ahead which needs a bit of explaining because in almost every facet of the play, Connacht were dominant. They were outclassed out wide, bettered in the scrum, troubled by Connacht’s maul, superior just at the breakdown and the occasions when they got their own maul going. But in the end, their pack fronted up when Carty needed them too, squeezing over for two second half tries, Bealham with the first, Paul Boyle the second, to secure a nine-point win. Mack Hansen looked electric on the wing, Oisin Dowling and Gavin Thornbury put in a shift in the engine room, Jack Carty tormented the Munster back three with a series of clever kicks. The job now is making sure they have a winning team to play on it.

A fuming Graham Rowntree gave a frank assessment after his Munster side sank to a third defeat in four games against Connacht.

We know what we’ve got to work on, we’ve just got to drive through it. We’ve just got to be better.’ it’s got to be better.