Deasy fires Munster to last four
Munster 'A' progressed to the British and Irish Cup semi-final with a deserved victory over the Ulster Ravens in Belfast.
Two first-half tries set the visitors on course and they never looked like surrendering their lead against a Ravens backline with a dearth of ideas.
Munster took the lead in the opening minute with a penalty from out-half Scott Deasy.
Ravens out-half Paddy Jackson had a chance to level the scores after the home team won a penalty from the restart, but he put his kick wide. He made amends on nine minutes when slotting a penalty over from in front of the posts.
Munster regained the lead on 34 minutes with a well-worked try from full-back Sean Scanlon.
Centre Will Chambers drew the last defender and released Scanlon to score a try, which Deasy converted.
Munster added a second try on 39 minutes. The Ravens got turned over near their own line and Chambers showed great hands with a reverse pass to Deasy. The out-half went under the posts and converted his own score to give the visitors a 17-3 lead at half-time.
Jackson got the first points after the restart with a 44th-minute penalty but Deasy restored the 14-point lead with his second penalty.
Jackson added a third penalty for the Ravens on 61 minutes but Munster kept them at bay.
Ulster Ravens -- C Gaston (I Porter 41); M Allen, C Farrell, L Marshall (J McKinney 56), C Cochrane; P Jackson, B McIlroy; P McAllister (R Lutton 50), N Brady (capt), J Cronin (C Carey 50), T Barker (I Henderson 41), N McComb, C Joyce (J Simpson 59), A Birch, M McComish.
MUNSTER -- S Scanlon; L O'Dea, W Chambers, JJ Hanrahan, R O'Mahony; S Deasy, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, S Henry (M Sherry 55), C Condon (J Ryan 55); D Foley, I Nagle; B Holland (capt), B O'Hara, P Butler.
Ref -- J Matthew (SRU).
Irish Independent
