Latest news with #ConorMurray
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Munster fought to 'bitter end'
Munster lost in the URC quarter-finals for the first time since 2022 [Getty Images] Munster captain Tadhg Beirne said "there was nothing more" he could ask of his team-mates after their United Rugby Championship quarter-final loss to Sharks was decided by a place-kick competition. The visitors to Durban had led 21-10 in the second half but, after the game finished 24-24 and neither side scored during extra time, the Sharks were a perfect six-from-six in their shots at goal, while Rory Scannell was wayward off the tee for Munster. Advertisement "They're riddled with internationals, they know what they're doing," said Beirne of the Sharks who will now face the Bulls in the semi-finals. "We knew they were going to keep coming at us, we knew they would be a tough battle, and we fought to the bitter end. "There's nothing more I could ask of the lads. To go to a penalty shootout or whatever you call that there is gutting for us, but that's the way it goes and that's the way we lost the game." The defeat represented final Munster appearances for Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer. "There's no tomorrow for us this season and we have to say goodbye to some pretty special characters within this room," added Beirne, who will tour with the British and Irish Lions for a second time this summer. "It's going to be a weird place without them, we've spoken about it before. "They epitomise Munster, they love the club and they put blood, sweat and tears in for the club."
BBC News
20 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Munster fought to 'bitter end'
Munster captain Tadhg Beirne said "there was nothing more" he could ask of his team-mates after their United Rugby Championship quarter-final loss to Sharks was decided by a place-kick visitors to Durban had led 21-10 in the second half but, after the game finished 24-24 and neither side scored during extra time, the Sharks were a perfect six-from-six in their shots at goal, while Rory Scannell was wayward off the tee for Munster. "They're riddled with internationals, they know what they're doing," said Beirne of the Sharks who will now face the Bulls in the semi-finals."We knew they were going to keep coming at us, we knew they would be a tough battle, and we fought to the bitter end."There's nothing more I could ask of the lads. To go to a penalty shootout or whatever you call that there is gutting for us, but that's the way it goes and that's the way we lost the game."The defeat represented final Munster appearances for Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer."There's no tomorrow for us this season and we have to say goodbye to some pretty special characters within this room," added Beirne who will tour with the British and Irish Lions for a second time this summer."It's going to be a weird place without them, we've spoken about it before. "They epitomise Munster, they love the club and they put blood, sweat and tears in for the club."
The Herald
a day ago
- General
- The Herald
Ice-cool Davids kicks Sharks into URC semifinal
The Sharks dug deep, some forceful play from the pack, allowed for some slick handling by the backs with Aphelele Fassi touching down next to the posts. By that stage the Sharks were well in the ascendancy, their bench making a greater impact and it was one of those, front-rower Fez Mbatha, who burst through to give the Sharks the lead. Munster, who won three playoff matches on the road when they claimed the title two years ago, showed great resolve, with veteran Conor Murray coming off the bench to land a 45m penalty to tie the scores. Extra time matched the dire first half in terms of quality, with the match eventually reaching its unusual conclusion and ensuring the Sharks have to make a trip north to Loftus next week to take on the Bulls. Scorers Sharks 24 (0): Tries — Ethan Hooker, Aphelele Fassi, Fez Mbatha. Conversions — Jaden Hendrickse (3). Penalty — Jaden Hendrickse Munster 24 (7): Tries — Calvin Nash, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Kilgallen. Conversions — Jack Crowley (3). Penalty — Conor Murray * Sharks won kicking contest 6-4
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'They will leave, a massive legacy behind': Costello 'devastated' but full of praise for departing heroes
Rugby can be a cruel game, but seldom could it be crueller for a team than losing in a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, that was the lot that befell Munster in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final against the Sharks at Kings Park. Munster did everything but win in 100 minutes of rugby that was far from perfect at times, but it was always absorbing. The Sharks too, did everything but win in normal time. Yet, in the end, there had to be a loser after the match finished 24-24 after extra time. Rory Scannell's scuffed penalty from the right-hand side of the uprights in the shootout proved the difference in the shootout. The inexperienced Sharks utility back Bradley Davids landed the winning kick from 40-metres on the left 15-metre line. If it was cruel for Munster and crueller still for Scannell, on the occasion of his 200th cap. And it was perhaps cruellest for Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony, who played their final games for the club. Conor Murray of Munster leaves the field. Pic: Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart Losing is part of rugby. But losing in that fashion is something rare and, in many ways, unfair. For those two stalwarts, as well as Stephen Archer and other absent warriors, to bow out in that way, felt wrong. Murray landed a 45-metre penalty 90 seconds from the end of normal time to take the contest to extra time. 'On a night like this, it's a pity there had to be a loser,' Sharks coach John Plumtree said after the match. He was not wrong, but the show has to go on, and the teams had to be separated in some way. The Sharks now travel to Pretoria to face the Bulls in next week's semi-final at Loftus Versfeld. Leinster will host defending champions Glasgow at the Aviva. For the fourth year in a row, South Africa will have a URC finalist. While the tournament must proceed, Munster interim coach Ian Costello took a little time to acknowledge Murray, O'Mahony and Archer. 'Those three are exceptional people and legends of Munster rugby,' Costello said. 'And they've left, or they will leave, a massive legacy behind. That's going to be very difficult for us to live up to and fill, but that's what you want. 'You want somebody to leave it in a better place. And they've left the jersey in an unbelievably good place. Now it's for everyone else in the dressing room, moving on to next year, to live up to that. 'There's also our team manager, Niall O'Donovan, who's an even longer servant of Munster rugby. It was his last game as well. The last few weeks have been pretty special in terms of making sure those boys got a good send-off, which is why tonight was particularly disappointing.' In terms of the game, which saw each side score three tries on the night, Costello only had praise for his team, especially as the Sharks scrum dominated. After a good start and holding the upper hand at halftime, only belligerent Munster defence kept the 2023 champions in the contest. The men in red stayed in the game thanks to their defence, as their scrum was dismantled by a Sharks team whose replacement front rowers Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Hanro Jacobs picked up where their illustrious Bok starters – Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch had left off. It was one tough night for the Munster pack, and they never stopped scrapping. 'I'm devastated and gutted for the team, for what they invested into that,' Costello said. 'The Sharks had an exceptional set piece, but we didn't take a step back all day and when they went ahead, we came back. 'It's all a blur, but I'm unbelievably proud of them and it's heartbreaking to lose a game like that. 'In terms of processing it, I'm devastated for the boys for how much they put into it and for how much they've invested into this in the build-up and on the field. 'It was exceptional and I'm proud of the fight, the character and the quality that they showed tonight. Games like that at this level, playing away from home, come down to moments. And we just came out slightly on the wrong end of moments. Simple as that. 'It was a proud performance, but it wasn't proud just because of effort and fight. 'That was exceptional, but the quality was there too. The coaches put together a good game plan, and the players implemented it. We were 100% with our line-out tonight, and we scored some good tries. 'So, it came down to moments. Sometimes you talk about proud defeats, and I just want to be really clear. I'm very, very proud of the boys, but it's not one of those glorious defeats. 'I think there was a huge amount of quality there, and we came out on the wrong side of one or two key moments. Obviously, a team that kicked six penalties out of six in the penalty shootout is hard to beat. Someone's going to miss one.' For Scannell, who missed his first kick in the shootout from the right 15-metre line on the 22, it must have been gutting. He showed great character to land his next one from the same angle, but 40-metres back. 'It was Rory's 200th cap today. Sport can be cruel for everybody, but I'd rather focus on the second kick,' Costello said. 'Anybody who's kicked a post knows that if you miss one, what the second one can feel like. And you multiply that by 10, 15 for a situation like that. I just couldn't be prouder of the character he showed to nail that second one to keep us in it.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Sharks beat Munster in dramatic URC kicking shootout
United Rugby Championship quarter-final, after extra-timeSharks (0) 24Tries: Hooker, Fassi, Mbatha Cons: Ja Hendrikse 3 Pens: Ja HendrikseMunster (7) 24Tries: Nash, Wycherley, Kilgallen Cons: Crowley 3 Pens: MurraySharks win kick placing competition 6-4 The Sharks defeated Munster 6-4 in a place kicking competition after their hugely dramatic United Rugby Championship quarter-final in Durban ended 24-24 after Scannell's missed kick in the shootout proved decisive as Sharks trio Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse and Bradley Davids all converted their two shots at the Crowley and Conor Murray also were successful with their couple of kicks thrilling victory sees the Sharks reach the last four of the competition for the first time, having twice previously made the face an away trip to the Bulls next weekend, with Leinster hosting Glasgow in the other a fiercely contested tie, a converted Calvin Nash try helped the Irish province to a 7-0 lead at the interval at Kings Park but an Ethan Hooker score and Jaden Hendriksen's penalty moved the hosts ahead 10-7 early in the second touchdowns from Josh Wycherley and Diarmuid Kilgallen had Munster seemingly in control but Aphelele Fassi and Fez Mbatha went over to help the Sharks into a three-point Murray's monster penalty with three minutes remaining took the game into extra-time and with neither side able to add to their score in the additional 20 minutes, it was the South African side who emerged victors and progressed. Thrilling contest in Durban Munster began the game in the ascendancy and within 10 minutes they were seven points to the good as Kilgallen weaved his way past three defenders to make it into the Sharks 22 and the ball found its way to Crowley, who sent a cross-field kick bouncing into the Mapimpi looked to be the favourite to get it but it evaded him and fell perfectly for Nash, who applied the added the extras but was guilty of a bad miss off the tee after the Sharks had been penalised at the breakdown, pulling his effort Hendrikse missed with a penalty attempt from 45 metres and although his side battled their way back into the match with wave after wave of attacks, they were unable to turn their pressure into a score in the first half because of a combination of regular handling errors and some stubborn defence by six minutes of the resumption John Plumtree's side were level however when wing Hooker cut inside and weaved his way past three defenders to score close to the Hendrikse's penalty edged his team in front but their advantage proved shortlived as replacement prop Wycherley dived over with his first touch after accepting a flat pass from Craig Casey on the line when Nash had been stopped just after the hour mark Ian Costello's charges extended their lead to 14 points when replacement Mike Haley kicked through, Makazole Mapimpi slipped and Kilgallen won the race to the ball to touch down just before the dead ball Munster scrum came under pressure and Sharks went over for the score which would reduce their arrears to visitors collapsed the scrum and were fortunate not to concede a penalty try but their opponents subsequently moved the ball quickly to full-back Fassi, who minutes from the end of regulation time the Sharks were ahead as their pressure told. They gained quick ball off the line-out and it came to replacement hooker Mbatha, who barged his way weren't finished however and Murray forced extra-time by successfully landing an enormous kick from just inside the Sharks half to level the match at 24-24 Sharks dominated extra-time but were unable to add to their score as the Munster defence held fast and the game went to a place kicking competition, from which the South African side emerged triumphant. Team line-ups Sharks: Fassi; Hooker, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, Koch; Etzebeth (capt), Jenkins; Venter, Tshituka, Mbatha, Mchunu, Jacobs, Van Heerden, Buthelezi, Davids, Venter, Abrahams; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Kilgallen; Crowley, Craig Casey; Milne, Niall Scannell, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Hodnett, Barron, Wycherley, Ryan, Ahern, Kendellen, Murray, Scannell, Haley.
