**Munster boosted their Conference B credentials by battling past a determined Cardiff Blues side to claim their fourth win in five and go top.** Chris Cloete and Corey Domachowski exchanged tries in a closely-fought first-half, but two scores from Alby Mathewson and one from Calvin Nash in the second put the game beyond doubt, before Nick Williams grabbed a late consolation for the Welshmen. Victory stretches the Irish side’s record to six wins in seven against Welsh regions, while the Blues fall to their fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in the same season since 2015-16. Key moments Munster had not been victorious at Arms Park since March 2017, and the hosts demonstrated their intention to extend that record in the early stages as Jarrod Evans kicked the first points of the game in the eighth minute. But – battling against the elements – Munster gradually worked their way into the game and JJ Hanrahan got them back on terms after a darting run from Nash had drawn a penalty deep into home territory. Evans took his opportunity to restore Cardiff’s lead almost immediately however, and Matthew Morgan then produced a try-saving tackle at the other end after Arno Botha had squeezed through a gap in the home defence. Johann van Graan had made 11 changes for this fixture and despite his much-changed side failing to find their feet in the initial stages, Cloete bundled over to give his side the lead in the 24th minute after good work from Dan Goggin. Hanrahan stretched Munster’s advantage to seven points with another penalty eight minutes before the break, but a huge kick from Morgan two minutes before half-time set up a period of sustained Blues pressure and a converted Domachowski score meant the score was 13-13 at the interval. The Blues started the second half positively and after Fineen Wycherley was penalised for being offside, Evans made sure their pressure was rewarded by restoring their lead with three points. But just as they had responded to going behind at the start of the first half, Munster hit back, this time through Mathewson after good work from Hanrahan and Sam Arnold. They were further in front 10 minutes later when clever play from Rory Scannell opened up an opportunity, and Nash evaded a number of Cardiff challenges to go over and make the lead more comfortable. Mathewson claimed his second try 13 minutes from time to all but seal the win, playing a smart one-two with Goggin before bundling over after Hanrahan had worked himself into some space. With the clock ticking down, Hanrahan added another penalty, and despite Williams snatching a try in the dying stages, Munster had enough on the board to hold on to the win. Man of the match Kevin O’Byrne and Chris Cloete were very active and played a big part in a dominant Munster showing up front, with the latter notching a try. But JJ Hanrahan managed the game expertly in tricky conditions, dictating play perfectly to put Munster in the right places and breaking through lines on several occasions to set up a number of dangerous attacks. Play of the day The wet and windy playing conditions made vintage rugby a scarcity, but Munster’s fourth try was very easy on the eye. A clever line break from JJ Hanrahan caught the Blues defence napping, and he slipped in Alby Mathewson who drew in Matthew Morgan before finding Dan Goggin, with the scrum-half eventually being released again to go over and put the result beyond doubt. Cardiff City Stadium will play host to the 2020 Guinness PRO14 Final on June 20 as one of the most exciting days in the club rugby calendar comes to Wales! General sale tickets are available from http://bit.ly/PRO14Cardiff2020 and prices start at just £13 for concessions and £26 for adults (subject to booking fees), that’s a 15% early bird discount. Family ticket (2 adults / 2 children) prices begin at £64 and fans are encouraged to buy early to get the best value tickets.
