Keatley is kicking king for Munster
Ian Keatley kicks a second half penalty.
Fly-half Ian Keatley kicked Munster to an 18-14 victory over The Dragons with six penalties to keep his province at the top of the PRO12 League at Rodney Parade last night.
Keatley's timing couldn't have been any better as Munster hit the front for the first time in the 73nd minute and made it a four point game in the 76th minute.
It didn't look that likely for much of the night. Munster just could not break the home side's stranglehold in the first-half.
The hosts' out-half Jason Tovey struck penalties in the eleventh and 40th minutes to undermine Keatley's single effort in the 25th minute for 6-3 at the interval.
The Irish province needed a quick start to the second-half. Instead, left wing Matthew Pewtner was able to beat the cover for an unconverted try in the 43rd minute.
Rob Penney's men survived this setback and a yellow card for Keith Earls at the end of the third quarter, Tovey's drop goal seeing The Dragons lead 14-12 before Keatley twice held his nerve.
It means Munster stretched their lead at the head of the table to half-a-dozen points because Glasgow Warriors overcame The Ospreys 28-16 at The Liberty Stadium to move into second.
CONNACHT FADE AWAY
Connacht let a good start slip away as they slumped 43-10 to their eighth loss in nine rounds of the PRO12 League away to Edinburgh at Murrayfield last night.
Ireland's Robbie Henshaw looked more of a threat at full-back. It was from there he struck in the 15th minute, fly-half Dan Parks adding the conversion to his drop goal to give Connacht a 10-3 lead to defend.
They couldn't build on that as Greig Laidlaw's second and third penalties by the half hour were improved by the conversion of a Dougie Fife try on half-time.
Scotland international Laidlaw kicked penalties in the 51st and 59th minutes and there were three converted tries in the last seven minutes from flanker Cornell du Preez, centre Nick de Luca and prop WP Nel.
