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 Munster watch on during the kicking.Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart/INPHO FreeHeartbreak 'It is a hard one to process' - Devastation for Munster following URC exit The Sharks beat the Irish side after a penalty shoot-out. 10.10pm, 31 May 2025 Share options MUNSTER BOWED out of the United Rugby Championship most heartbreakingly when they lost a quarter-final in Durban to the Sharks, but coach Ian Costello could not be prouder of his charges. The Sharks beat Munster after a penalty shoot-out following a 24-24 score at full-time, and then also after 20 minutes of extra time. “It is a hard one to process,” Costello said. “It is a bit of a blur when the game goes to extra time and then to a kick-off. “There are two emotions. Initially, I am devastated for the boys for how much they put into this game. They invested so much,” Costello said. “It was exceptional what they did before and in the game. I am unbelievably proud of the fight, character and quality that they showed.” Advertisement Costello said that playoff games often come down to a roll of the dice. “Games like this, away from home, come down to moments, and we came down slightly on the wrong side of the moments. It is as simple as that. “I want to make a distinction when we talk about a proud performance. I wasn’t just proud of the effort and fight. The quality was there, too. “The coaches put together a very good plan and, as a result, we were very good in the set pieces. The players implemented the plan, and we scored good tries. “I don’t want to talk about a glorious defeat,” Costello continued. “There was a lot of quality. We came out on the wrong side of a penalty shootout where the Sharks kicked six out of six, and that is hard to beat.” Kicker Rory Scannell missed a kick in the shoot-out, but Costello comforted him. “Sport can be cruel. Rory missed one, but he also nailed a very good second one. I am proud of how he kept us in it.” Munster have felt the pain before — they lost a few years back in a similar fashion to Toulouse in a European Cup quarter-final against Toulouse. Costello instead wanted to pay respect to retiring Munster legends, Peter O’Mahony, Stephen Archer and Conor Murray. “They are exceptional people, legends of Munster, and they leave a massive legacy behind,” Costello said. “It will be difficult for us to live up to it, but you want people to leave the jersey in a better place, and that has happened in a big way. “The challenge is for the emerging guys to live up to it.” Mike Greenaway View 16 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “'It is a hard one to process' - Devastation for Munster following URC exit”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “'It is a hard one to process' - Devastation for Munster following URC exit”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion News in 60 seconds FreeENCOURAGING Ireland's Sharlene Mawdsley produces season's best performance in US 57 mins ago Djokovic and Sinner flex muscles to reach French Open last 16, Keys survives complex feelings If PSG's dominant win was predictable, nobody thought it would be this enjoyable to watch Gavin Cooney FreeProdigy Teenager Doué stars as PSG win Champions League for first time Roscommon-Meath draw rollercoaster contest, Down edge Louth FreeComeback Paddy Durcan returns to inspire Mayo to a victory that keeps their dreams alive FreeFinal Four Details confirmed for Leinster's URC semi-final clash with Glasgow As it happened Sharks v Munster, URC quarter-final As it happened Leinster v Scarlets, URC quarter-final Freemisfortune Munster crash out of URC after penalty shootout loss to Sharks 'It shouldn’t be a drudge' - Cullen urges Leinster supporters to turn out for semi-final more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account