Munster reclaim top position with 38-27 win over Cardiff Blues

Munster 38-27 Cardiff Blues, Thomond Park
Scorecard

Munster maintained their perfect start as they went on to defeat Cardiff Blues 38-27 in the latest round of Pro14 at Thomond Park on Monday.

The win means Munster have retained their top place in Conference A at the end of the third round with three straight victories while Cardiff are at second with nine points.

Rey Lee-Lo started the proceedings for the Blues with a try in the second minute after it was set up by Willis Halaholo and Jarrod Evans followed with the conversion making it 0-7.

However, they surrendered their advantage as Halaholo was yellow carded few minutes later for a tackle on Dan Goggin and Munster capitalised on the numerical advantage with Gavin Coombes dotting down in the seventh minute and Ben Healy improved it to level the scores.

A penalty kick from Evans put the visitors back into the lead but Munster went on to double their tally with Coombes' second coming in the 27th minute. The gap between the two teams came to just one point at the half-hour mark after Evans kicked his second penalty kick.

As the half-time was approaching Healy brought his first three-pointer as the teams went into the break with a 17-13 scoreline.

The third quarter of the game saw Kevin O'Bryne and Jack O'Donoghue scoring tries for Munster but their efforts were cancelled with Aled Summerhill and Halaholo replying for the visitors as the gap continued to remain at four points.

With everything to play for, the final 15 minutes kicked-off and it was JJ Hanrahan, who powered his way over the line at the back of a line out to complete a 11-point win for the Irish side.

Teams line-up:

Munster: Haley; Nash, Goggin, Scannell, Sweetnam; Healy, Casey; Cronin, O'Byrne, Archer, F Wycherley, Holland; O'Donoghue, Hodnett, Coombes.

Reserves: Marshall, J Wycherley, Salanoa, Kleyn, Cloete, McCarthy, Hanrahan, de Allende.

Cardiff Blues: Morgan; Summerhill, Lee-Lo, Halaholo, Amos; Evans, Williams; Domachowski, Dacey, Arhip, Murphy, Thornton, Ratti, Botham, Robinson.

Reserves: Lewis, Thyer, Andrews, Moore, Lawrence, Jones, Tovey, Smith.