Munster reclaimed top spot in the RaboDirect PRO12 thanks to the boot of Ian Keatley as they defeated Ospreys 12-6. Glasgow temporarily took over at the top after beating Connacht earlier in the day but Keatley’s three penalties and one from JJ Hanrahan edged out Ospreys in a tight encounter. It was Munster’s first win against their Welsh opponents since 2011 and means they have won six of their first seven games to lead the RaboDirect PRO12. Munster and Ospreys met after enjoying fine starts to the season but the Welsh side boasted the added advantage of going unbeaten in their last five games against the Irish side. Having won three games on the spin the stage looked set for Munster to end their sticky recent run against Ospreys and they duly took the lead when Keatley kicked over a penalty in the fifth minute. The 26-year-old fly-half was offered the chance to double the advantage ten minutes later but this time he failed with his penalty attempt. Undeterred, Keatley stepped up to the mark again on 22 minutes and added another three points to the Munster haul to give them the initiative in a low-scoring half. The Ospreys response was swift and after a penalty was awarded four minutes later Matthew Morgan halved the deficit to leave the score 6-3 at the break. The Welsh region looked to have struck a crucial blow in the second half when Tito Tabaldi crossed the try line but after it was referred to the TMO the score was ruled out. While Ospreys were still trailing on the scoreboard they at least had the pleasure of welcoming back flyer Hanno Dirksen, who came off the bench at the start of the second half for his first appearance in almost 12 months due to knee troubles. However, it was the kickers who were continuing to dominate and Keatley in particular as he missed from the tee on 52 minutes only to succeed four minutes later, stretching Munster’s lead to 9-3. JJ Hanrahan replaced Keatley on 64 minutes and four minutes later he nudged Munster 12-3 ahead with a penalty. Morgan could have reduced the gap further but he connected poorly with a penalty attempt with ten minutes left on the clock and then missed with a drop goal with two minutes to go. But with the last kick of the match Morgan finally succeeded, kicking a penalty to earn the Ospreys a losing bonus point from a 12-6 defeat. Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to our YouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the RaboDirect PRO12
