Munster show true grit to end disappointing run

Munster backrow Jack O’Donoghue hopes they can build on this win heading into the Champions Cup as they managed to avoid losing a fourth successive league game for the first time in 20 years.
But they were made battle all the way by a Lions side on their first visit to Thomond Park.
“It has been a bit turbulent and as players we wanted to come out here and show the crowd that we are all still together and we wanted to get a win and start moving up the table in the URC and then build on that going into Europe,” said O’Donoghue.
The post-Graham Rowntree era began with Munster starting strongly and they were good value for their 7-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter after some good running from deep.
The Lions defence was strong and dealt with the early onslaught but Munster finally found a way through after 15 minutes when Thaakie Abrahams scored his first try for the province since his summer move from Lyon.
The South African created the move after being put away by Alex Nankivell and while the Lions got back to smother him, Munster kept the ball alive and continued to attack inside the 22 and when the ball came back to Abrahams he bustled his way through the tackles of Marius Louw and Kade Wolhuter to score, with Billy Burns adding the extras.
The Lions were strong in the scrum and then struck 12 minutes from the break when a jinking run from Henco van Wyk ended with a superb try when he escaped seven tackles.
Wolhuter added the conversion to tie the sides and he edged them in front four minutes later with a penalty from 40 metres to lead 10-7 at the break.
Munster hit back two minutes after the restart. Once again Abrahams was in the instigator, doing well to retain possession in the tackle down the right before sending Shane Daly, an interval replacement for full-back Mike Haley, away for his 20th try for the province.
Burns pulled the conversion wide from just to the right of the posts across the goal but the try lifted Munster and with league debutants Evan O’Connell, playing in the second row where his uncle Paul inspired the province for years, and short-term signing Dian Bleuler making an impact, they pushed forward.
The pressure eventually told with Alex Kendellen getting in to score after 54 minutes after O’Connell was denied a debut try, but Burns missed conversion from the left meant the lead was just seven points going into the final quarter.
The Lions pressed forward and looked set to score when they mounted a 12-phase move inside the home 22 but the move ended when Abrahams manage to intercept a pass with a boot to mount a counter-attack from deep which came to nothing in the end after a couple of hacks.
Munster dug in defensively as the Lions, who lost their winning start to the season last time out against Leinster in Dublin, piled on the pressure in a bid to save the game.
But with the likes of Niall Scannell getting in some great hits, Munster kept their line intact for an invaluable victory and they will now turn their attention to the Champions Cup and the visit of Stade Francais to Thomond Park next weekend.
Scorers: Munster: Tries: T Abrahams, S Daly, A Kendellen. Con: B Burns
Lions: Tries: H van Wyk. Con: K Wolhuter. Pen: Wolhuter.
Munster: M Haley; S McCarthy, T Farrell, A Nankivell, T Abrahams; B Burns, E Coughlan; D Bleuler, D Barron (c), J Ryan; E O’Connell, F Wycherley; J O’Donoghue, A Kendellen, G Coombes.
Replacements: S Daly for Haley, half-time, P Patterson for Coughlan 45, J Hodnett for Kendellen 56, S Archer for Ryan 56, T Butler for Burns 60, N Scannell for Barron 60, K Ryan for Bleuler 67, R Quinn for O’Connell 71.
Lions: Q Horn; R Kriel, H van Wyk, M Louw (c), E van der Merwe; K Wolhuter, M van den Berg; J Schoeman, PJ Botha, A Ntlabakanye; R Schoeman, R Delport; J Cairns, WJ Steenkamp, F Horn.
Replacements: S Nohamba for Wolhuter 45mins, M Naude for J Schoeman 56, C van Vuuren for Ntlabakanye 56, R Nothnagel for R Schoeman 58, E Cronje for van Wyk 70, JC Pretorius for Steenkamp 70, T Mafura for van der Merwe 74.
Referee: A Jones (Wales).