Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Tom Ahern scored Munster's first try.Laszlo Geczo/INPHO Connacht's late rally comes up short as Munster hold on in Castlebar Over 27,000 supporters packed into MacHale Park as the two sides shared eight tries. 4.53pm, 29 Mar 2025 Share options Connacht 24 ON AN HISTORIC day for Connacht rugby, the province summoned a spirited late response but couldn’t pull of what would have been a remarkable comeback as Munster collected a deserved bonus-point win in front of over 27,000 supporters at MacHale Park. Munster had to manage a series of cards – losing Alex Nankivell to a first-half red card before Tadhg Beirne saw yellow and Niall Scannell followed in the dying minutes, but Ian Costello’s team still had too much for their hosts as a record Connacht home crowd packed into Castlebar. Tom Ahern, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley and Diarmuid Barron supplied Munster’s tries, scoring two in each half. Sean Jansen opened the scoring for Connacht at the end of a frustrating opening quarter before Jansen, Caolin Blade and Josh Ioane all crossed in the second period. Two of those Connacht tries came in the closing quarter after Munster had built a healthy lead but their late rally came up short. The result sees Munster push into fifth place and keep well in the hunt for a place in the URC playoffs, with Connacht two points outside the top eight in 12th. Munster played 55 minutes without their full complement after losing Nankivell to a first-half red card, the centre sent to the line following a clearout on Cian Prendergast which saw the Connacht captain depart on a stretcher. Connacht have since confirmed the 25-year-old was conscious and taken to hospital for further evaluation. By that point Munster had put themselves in a strong position, building a 15-5 lead as the strong wind made it difficult for both sides. The southern province, bolstered by a number of returning internationals, showed good game management throughout with halfbacks Crowley and Casey – back in the side for the first time since December following a knee injury – both excellent. A crowd of 27,870 packed into MacHale Park.Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO Munster’s first points came from the boot of Crowley, the out-half slotting an early penalty as the visitors took the game to their hosts in the opening stages. Crowley was also instrumental to Munster’s first try, which arrived 12 minutes in. The Corkman chipped over the top for fullback Ben O’Connor to collect and Munster quickly moved into a good attacking shape, with Sean O’Brien and John Hodnett getting hands on the ball before Crowley fed Ahern, who was lurking in a familiar position on the touchline. The big Waterford man still had plenty to do but steamrolled through Mack Hansen to score his third try of the season, with Crowley’s conversion catching the wind and pulling wide. Connacht were slow to gain any real foothold in the contest but got on the scoreboard 20 minutes in. From a lineout in the Munster 22, Connacht’s maul was initally well handled before the home side won a penalty. Connacht opted for the tap-and-go and with Munster defenders scrambling into position, Jansen collected a short pass from Finlay Bealham and attacked down the blindside, forcing his way over with help from a big shove by Shamus Hurley-Langton. Ioane was unable to convert from a tricky angle. That score brought the Connacht support into the game but Munster hit back immediately, Calvin Nash breaking through a poor tackle attempt from Santiago Cordero before passing inside to Casey, who finished the move. This time, Crowley’s conversion was good and Munster led by 10. Munster's Craig Casey celebrates his try.Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO Then the damaging moment which saw Munster go a man down and Connacht lose their captain, Prendergast shipping a heavy blow to the head from Nankivell’s clearout. Referee Craig Evans went to the TMO but felt no reason to downgrade his decision. The incident briefly sucked the momentum out of the game, Crowley clipping over his second penalty of the day shortly before the break to leave Munster 13 points clear at half-time. Connacht would have the wind behind their backs in the second period and came out strong, building territory before Bundee Aki fixed the Munster defence and sent Finn Treacy through, with Blade profiting from running a good support line to score under the posts, leaving Ioane with a tap-over conversion. Again Munster summoned a quick response, and after a few attempts pounding at the Connacht line from close range, Casey spun a pass wide to Crowley to hand his 10 a simple finish, with Crowley converting his own score. Connacht were on the ropes as Munster looked to grind out the bonus-point score, patiently muscling their way forward before a sustained period of pressure ended with Barron getting the ball down despite the efforts of Aki, as Crowley’s conversion again drifted wide. Advertisement Munster’s Sean O’Brien and Craig Casey clash with Hugh Gavin of Connacht.James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Barron’s try left Munster 18 points to the good with 20 to play. Connacht looked to be struggling for answers but struck back as Jansen bagged his second of the day, powering through from a tapped penalty following a passage of play which saw Munster captain Beirne yellow-carded. Entering the final 10 minutes, Hansen pushed Connacht up the pitch with a brilliant 50:22. Connacht were initially struggling to gain any ground as they moved into their attacking shape off the lineout, but then moved the ball across the 22 – with Hansen and Jansen again to the fore – and creating an overlap to send Ioane through for their fourth try. The conversion struck the post but Connacht had pulled it back to a six-point game. The momentum was all with Connacht now and they continued to put Munster under the pump – another purposeful attack ending with Dylan Tierney-Martin crossing as MacHale Park erupted. Hanrahan lined up a conversion that would send Connacht into a one-point lead but Evans went to the screen to review a dangerous clearout by Bundee Aki on Gavin Coombes, crossing out the score. Evans was soon back at the screen as Scannell saw yellow for a dangerous tackle. With 90 seconds left, Hanrahan kicked to the corner to tee-up one last push, but 13-man Munster survived as they stole the lineout and wound down the clock to kill the game. Connacht scorers: Tries – Jansen [2], Blade, Ioane. Conversions – Ioane [1/3], Hanrahan [1/1] Connacht scorers: Tries – Ahern, Casey, Crowley, Barron. Penalties – Crowley [2/2] Conversion – Crowley [2/4] CONNACHT: Mack Hansen; Chay Mullins (Santiago Cordero, 5 HIA) (JJ Hanrahan 55), Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy; Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade (Matthew Devine, 53); Jordan Duggan (Denis Buckley, 56), Dave Heffernan (Dylan Tierney-Martin, 56), Finlay Bealham (Jack Aungier, 56); Joe Joyce (Paul Boyle, 56), Darragh Murray; Cian Prendergast (captain) (Josh Murphy, 26), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen. MUNSTER: Ben O’Connor; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Conor Murray, 67); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley, 60), Diarmuid Barron (Niall Scannell, 56), Oli Jager (Stephen Archer, 56); Fineen Wycherley (Jean Kleyn, 56), Tadhg Beirne (captain); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett (Alex Kendellen, 24) ( Ruadhán Quinn, 67), Gavin Coombes. Yellow cards: Beirne, Scannell. Red card: Nankivell. Referee: Craig Evans [WRU]. Attendance: 27,570. 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