Munster see off Connacht in 10-try thriller

Munster (14) 35

Tries: Nankivell, Haley, Hodnett, Coombes, Daly Cons: Burns 3, Butler 2

Connacht (19) 33

Tries: Iaone, Murphy 2, Hawkshaw, Forde Con: Iaone 3, Forde

Munster opened their United Rugby Championship run pinch a thrilling 35-33 triumph complete Irish rivals Connacht astatine Thomond Park.

Connacht held a 19-14 lead astatine half-time acknowledgment to a effort by debutant Josh Iaone and 2 scores from Ben Murphy, while Alex Nankivell and Mike Haley touched down for Munster.

The tries kept coming aft nan restart arsenic some sides secured their prize point.

However, nan decisive people came pinch 10 minutes to play erstwhile Shane Daly scored retired wide and replacement Tony Butler landed nan conversion.

After a slow commencement successful Limerick, Connacht took nan lead successful nan 15th infinitesimal erstwhile scrum-half Murphy spotted a spread and fed Shayne Bolton, who group up Iaone to touch down.

Iaone missed nan conversion, and though it was early successful nan crippled it would yet led to Connacht's downfall arsenic nan tries and successful efforts from nan tee followed.

Connacht sewage their 2nd effort 5 minutes later erstwhile Mack Hansen trim done nan Munster defence and fed Iaone.

He popped nan shot disconnected to half-back partner Murphy, who gathered nan shot and touched down, pinch nan effort confirmed aft a TMO cheque for a sound on.

The turning constituent came erstwhile Argentine full-back Santiago Cordero was sent to nan misdeed bin for a reckless tackle connected Craig Casey, and Nankivell was connected manus to get Munster connected nan board.

Munster struck again erstwhile helping Haley crossed, and Billy Burns, a summertime enlistee from Ulster, nudged nan hosts up pinch his 2nd conversion.

However, nan 14 men of Connacht led astatine half-time erstwhile nan awesome Murphy grabbed his 2nd effort of nan crippled aft linking up pinch Iaone.

The try-scoring continued 4 minutes aft nan restart erstwhile John Hodnett barrelled over, moments aft Diarmuid Barron was held up conscionable short of nan line.

Connacht missed an opportunity to nudge backmost up erstwhile Iaone's punishment struck nan post, and Munster survived aft nan visitors won nan shot backmost but immoderate ferocious defence saw nan shot held up complete nan line.

However, Munster were punished erstwhile David Hawkshaw scored nan effort of nan match. Cathal Forde, Iaone and Dave Heffernan mixed pinch immoderate speedy hands and Hawkshaw trim done nan Munster defence to people unchallenged.

While Hawkshaw's effort was each astir pace, Munster deed backmost done nan powerfulness of Gavin Coombes.

The number 8 collected nan shot 10 metres retired and utilized his spot to transportation 2 Connacht players complete nan statement pinch him, and Burns converted to put nan hosts backmost successful front.

Connacht refused to spell distant and nan awesome Forde flew complete successful nan 64th infinitesimal disconnected nan backmost of a scrum, and Iaone converted to put 5 betwixt nan sides erstwhile more.

Roared connected by their location support, Munster had nan last opportunity pinch 10 minutes to play erstwhile Daly scored retired wide, and 22-year-old Butler, connected for nan injured Burns, nailed nan difficult conversion to unafraid an opening-day win.

While they fell to a defeat, Connacht person nan consolation of taking 2 prize points backmost to nan Sportsground.

Munster: Mike Haley; Thaakir Abrahams, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Billy Burns, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (C), John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhan Quinn, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Oli Jager, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Sean O’Brien.

Connacht: Santiago Cordero, Mack Hansen, Piers O’Conor, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier, Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy, Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast (C).

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Sam Illo, Oisin Dowling, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Caolin Blade, David Hawkshaw, Sean Jansen.