Munster 28 Scarlets 10
Munster powered their way to a 13th Pro14 win of the season with Joey Carbery marking his first start of the campaign with an impressive display.
Carbery controlled Munster brilliantly in brutal conditions at Thomond Park, and a stunning break for Shane Daly’s first-half try reminded Irish rugby fans what they have been missing during his year-long injury layoff.
Munster had three tries to their name by half-time with Gavin Coombes and Niall Scannell scoring either side of Daly, while Kevin O'Byrne completed the bonus-point win after an hour.
The Munster maul proved to be a potent weapon throughout but after 17 minutes Scannell was held up after he crossed the line. And from the five-metre scrum that followed Coombes crashed over for his ninth try of the campaign.
Daly soon conceded an obstruction penalty and Angus O’Brien made it 7-3 from the tee, but 14 minutes from half-time Carbery lit up the action. He fielded a box-kick inside his own half, took off on a mazy linebreak, before he sent Daly through a hole for Munster’s second try. Carbery’s conversion made it 14-3.
Following a lengthy stoppage Fineen Wycherley was stretchered off after 29 minutes after a collision at the breakdown, but Munster continued to dominate. Following the concession of an eighth team penalty Aaron Shingler was sinbinned a minute from half-time, and Scannell steered a maul over for a 21-3 lead at the break.
A second Scarlets yellow card was earned by replacement Tevita Ratuva when collapsed a maul just before the hour mark, and O’Byrne took the chance and mauled over the bonus point try for the home side.
Carbery continued his perfect record with a fourth conversion before he was hauled ashore after an hour in an impressive display from van Graan’s side, although Steff Evans scored a late consolation for Scarlets.
Scorers - Munster: Tries: G Coombes, S Daly, N Scannell, K O'Byrne
Cons: J Carbery 4 Scarlets: Try: S Evans Con: A O’Brien Pen: A O’Brien.
Munster: M Haley; C Nash, D de Allende, JJ Hanrahan, S Daly; J Carbery, N McCarthy; J Cronin, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, B Holland (c); F Wycherley, J O'Sullivan, G Coombes. Replacements: A Kendellen for Wycherley (29 mins); D Sweetnam for Haley (52 mins); K O'Byrne for Scannell (52 mins); J Loughman for Cronin (52 mins); J Ryan for Archer (52 mins); T Ahern for Kleyn (60 mins); J Crowley for Carbery (61 mins); P Patterson for Daly (66 mins), Scannell for O'Byrne (68 mins, HIA), Cronin for Scannell (77 mins, HIA).
Scarlets: J McNicholl; T Prydie, T Morgan, S Hughes (c), S Evans; A O'Brien, D Blacker; S Thomas, Marc Jones, P Scholtz; Morgan Jones, S Lousi; A Shingler, J Morgan, S Kalamafoni. Replacements: J Williams for McNicholl (43 mins); T Davies for Marc Jones (52 mins); K Mathias for Thomas (52 mins); A Jeffries for Scholtz (52 mins); T Ratuva for Morgan Jones (54 mins); U Cassiem for Shingler (60 mins); W Homer for Blacker (61 mins); P Asquith for Morgan (63 mins).
Referee: S Gallagher (IRFU).
