Champions Glasgow sneak past Munster in mid-table encounter

Reigning Guinness PRO12 champions Glasgow Warriors got a much-needed 27-24 bonus point win in a mid-table battle with Munster.

Glasgow enhanced their play-off hopes with a narrow win on Kilmarnock's Rugby Park pitch whilst Munster settled for a losing bonus point.

Duncan Weir converted two tries from Sila Puafisi and added one of his own. Glenn Bryce also crossed and Weir kicked a penalty.

Munster's points came from a brace of Dave Kilcoyne tries and one from Mike Sherry. All three were converted by Ian Keatley who also added a penalty.

With the pitch at home ground Scotstoun still waterlogged, Glasgow had promised to put on a fast attacking display on the artificial surface at Rugby Park and they did not disappoint in the early stages, scoring two converted tries within the opening eight minutes.

Playing their traditional all-action off-loading game both scores fell to the unlikely figure of Tongan tighthead prop Puafisi, whose two tries were a perfect way to celebrate re-signing for the Scottish club this week.

Both came from close in. The first was following two bursts from scrum half Ali Price taking tap penalties, the second rounding off a move started by number eight Josh Strauss.

Weir converted both, but Munster soon hit back by playing a more direct style with their big men running hard on to the ball.

Loose head prop Kilcoyne touched down from short range and Keatley converted.

Keatley put over a penalty shortly after and in the 23rd minute Munster went into a 17-14 lead they held to the break.

Both Munster props, Kilcoyne and John Ryan, made notable forward movements and when play reached the Glasgow line it was once again Kilcoyne who got the ball over to touch down, with Keatley converting.

Glasgow made a rapid start to the second half and retook the lead after 43 minutes when centre Peter Horne sent Weir in at the right corner for a try he was not able to convert.

Munster scrum half Tomas O'Leary was sin-binned in the 56th minute by referee Ben Whitehouse for a deliberate knock-on.

Glasgow then forged further ahead with a Weir penalty but before Munster were back to 15 men they had again taken the lead with replacement hooker Sherry scoring from a lineout drive and Heatley converting from touch.

With 10 minutes remaining replacement Munster prop James Cronin was shown a yellow card.

Glasgow immediately turned the screw with centre Bryce grabbing the bonus point fourth try.

With Weir's conversion missing Glasgow only led 27-24 and could have faced a nervous finish but they dominated the remaining exchanges to close out the game.