Munster maintain lead
Munster maintained their lead at the top of the Magners League with a 43-29 victory at Glasgow on Friday night.
Last Updated: 24/09/10 10:06pm
Munster maintained their lead at the top of the Magners League with a 43-29 victory at Glasgow on Friday night.
However, the hosts made the undefeated visitors work for their bonus-point win although a two-try blitz early in the second-half took the wind out of Glasgow's sales.
Denis Leamy and Johne Murphy crossed in the first half for the irish side but it was tries after the break from Niall Ronan and a second from Murphy that broke home resistance.
Ireland stand-off Ronan O'Gara drove home the advantage with 23 points from the boot.
Teenage debutant Duncan Weir had the chance to get Glasgow off to a flying start but was only able to convert one of three penaltys in the first seven minutes.
However, the Scots did move clear on 18 minutes when Weir hoisted a cross-kick that was knocked down to Bernardo Stortoni to Van der Merwe, who touched down.
But Munster registered their first score just four minutes later when prop Tony Buckley drove forward from a line-out before captain Leahy got the final touch.
With the score standing at 16-10 following another exchange of penalties Munster finally hit top gear, Murphy diving over on the left after 31 minutes that O'Gara did well to convert.
But again the hosts responded well, scrum-half Colin Gregor darting over on the stroke of half-time with Weir, who had earlier nudged over another penalty, converting to give Glasgow the edge 26-17 at half-time.
Munster stepped it up after half-time and within 10 minutes not only were they back ahead but they had the try bonus point.
Firstly Leamy picked up from a close-in scrum and sent in flanker Ronan for a textbook score.
O'Gara converted that one and set up the next try for Murphy with a perfect side-footed kick, and again converted to put Munster 31-26 up.
That was a winning position they were to comfortably maintain with O'Gara nudging over four more penalties against one from Weir.
