Munster 17-19 Blues Â
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Making an impressive start, the Cardiff Blues took the first points of the game thanks to an early penalty from the boot of Nicky Robinson.
Speedy winger Tom James notched the first of what would be a brace of tries in the match shortly afterwards. James benefitted from a chip ahead from Robinson, which Shaun Payne failed to secure, and was able to gather the ball and charge ahead of Ian Dowling to cross the Munster line.
Robinson missed the conversion but added a second penalty to stretch the Blues’ lead to an unanswered eleven points.
After taking the brunt of their visitors’ first-half attack Munster rallied to close the deficit to a single point before the half time interval ensued. After missing several opportunities at the uprights Paul Warwick found the spot with just a few minutes of the first half remaining. He was able to add another two to his personal points haul minutes later as Mark Melbourne powered over the line for Munster’s first try of the evening.
The Blues began the second half in the same mode as the first, and benefitted from more handling errors from the home side.
James completed his double just five minutes after the resumption of the game to push the Welsh region further ahead. The conversion went awry once more but Robinson made amends for the error as he slotted over the third Blues’ penalty of the evening to extend the lead to 19-10.
Munster staged a fighback in the last quarter as Niall Ronan crossed the Blues’ whitewash for the second home try of the evening but the Magners League leaders held onto their slender two point advanatge to seal the win at Musgrave Park, and the top spot in the Magners table.
Munster 17 (10)
Tries: Melbourne, Ronan.
Cons: Warwick (2)
Pen: Warwick
Blues 19 (11)
Tries: James (2)
Pens: Robinson (3)
