Connacht looked to back up their historic win in Dublin last week with a victory over Munster on Saturday at the Sportsground in their Pro14 clash.
Munster came into Saturday's match after losing their first match of the season against Ulster, ending their seven-game winning record.
Connacht, on the other hand, made history with their first ever victory over Leinster in the RDS, and their first in Dublin since 2002.
Connacht had the early opportunity to go ahead, with a penalty for Jack Carty, however he was unable to convert the opportunity into points.
JJ Hanrahan did not make the same mistake, as he was successful with his first kick of the match, taking the visitors out to a three point lead in the first 10 minutes.
First blood to @Munsterrugby at The Sportsground! 🔴 @jjhanrahan strikes the penalty sweetly to give the visitors an early advantage 👊
🇮🇪 Watch Live Now on @SportTG4
🇮🇪 Watch Live Now on @eirSport #GuinnessPRO14 #CONvMUN pic.twitter.com/qmXtvUG1U4— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) January 9, 2021
After a prolonged period of pressure on the Connacht line, Munster finally got over for the first try of the game in the §9th minute.
With the hosts' defence stretched, Chris Farrell exploited the gap, running a good line from the ruck, to cross over the line for the first try of the match. Hanrahan slotted the conversion, taking Munster 10 points ahead.
Capping off a superb start to the match for @Munsterrugby 🔴
Excellent work from the forwards and Chris Farrell crashes over for the try 👏
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🇮🇪 Watch Live Now on @eirSport #GuinnessPRO14 #CONvMUN pic.twitter.com/tI1HRgG7DM— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) January 9, 2021
It took the best part of the first half for the hosts to get on the scoreboard, as Munster absorbed a lot of pressure deep inside their own half.
On the stroke of half time, Carty finally got his side's first points with a penalty from a similar position to his first missed kick, as he adjusted to take Connacht just seven points behind at the break.
As the second half kicked off, Munster regained their 10-point lead with another Hanrahan penalty inside the first three minutes of the half.
As the rain continued to bucket down in Galway, Munster extended their lead with another Hanrahan penalty with just over an hour played.
Extending the @munsterrugby lead, @jjhanrahan makes no mistake with the penalty 🙌
Can @connachtrugby fight back late on? 👊
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🇮🇪 Watch Live Now on @eirSport #GuinnessPRO14 #CONvMUN pic.twitter.com/kCPpHVUWqN— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) January 9, 2021
With the game all but decided in the final five minutes of the match, Connacht remained in search of a sole try, and a potential losing bonus point, with a kick for touch inside the Munster 22m.
It took 79 minutes for Connacht to secure their first and only try of the game, after Rory Scannell was shown yellow for Munster fro repeated infringements inside his own half.
Peter Sullivan exploited the overlap, receiving the ball on the wing after some slick hands from the Connacht backline. Carty secured the losing bonus point with the conversion, with just 20 seconds left on the clock for the hosts to try and win the match.
TRY:
79 mins:
CONNACHT 10-16 Munster.
Peter Sullivan finally breaches Munster's defence, Jack Carty adds the extras.
It's LIVE now on eir sport 1! #CONvMUN #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/nOzKzLxOLp— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 9, 2021
With no time left on the clock, Connacht moved up the pitch, inside the Munster half. The visitors' defence began to crack, conceding a second yellow to Nick McCarthy.
Five minutes into injury time, the Westerners looked to exploit their two-man advantage from inside the Munster 5m line.
It was not to be, however, as the hosts knocked the ball on just metres away from the try line, calling full time on the match.
Despite a very late fight back from the hosts, Munster earned their sixth consecutive victory over the Westerners.
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