FORTUTIOUSLY, Munster are unbeaten after a couple of rounds in the defence of their United Rugby Championship title.
A last minute Tom Ahern try, converted by Joey Carbery, snatched Graham Rowntree’s side a draw faway to Benetton in Treviso on Sunday.
Munster trailed 13-3 (as it was at half-time, with Carbery kicking a penalty) inside the closing minutes but a Carbery penalty reduced the arrears before Ahern’s close-range finish in the final play saw the visitors do just enough to come away with something from their Italian trip.
The fixture was noteworthy for the introduction of new signing Seán O’Brien (ex-Connacht and Exeter Chiefs) and Paddy Patterson, sidelined since March through injury.
On Saturday (5.15pm), Munster host Dragons in the same competition at Musgrave Park.
Munster: Shane Daly; Shay McCarthy (Seán O’Brien, 53), Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell (Alex Nankivell, 49), Calvin Nash; Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan (Paddy Patterson, 51); Kieran Ryan (Mark Donnelly, 64), Diarmuid Barron (Scott Buckley, 64), Stephen Archer (John Ryan, 49); Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley (Tom Ahern, 56); Jack O’Donoghue (captain), John Hodnett (Alex Kendellen, 49), Gavin Coombes.
