Edinburgh secure historic win in Cork

  • 1 December 2019

Edinburgh secured their first win in Cork since 2004 as a late try from Eroni Sau was the difference in a 16-18 road win.

The capital side shot out to a 10-0 lead thanks to an early score from Matt Scott and a penalty from stand-off Jaco van der Walt, but the hosts battled back late in the first-half.

Stand-off Ben Healy first nailed a lengthy penalty before Tommy O’Donnell barrelled his way over to tie proceedings at the break.

Munster shot out of the blocks to start the second period and soon took a six-point lead thanks to two more kicks from the impressive young stand-off, Healy.

Edinburgh defended well and nearly went over through Schoeman’s excellent break, before the go-ahead score eventually arrived via Sau.

With Kinghorn nailing a tidy kick out wide, the Fijian was on hand to collect and dot down for his second score for the club.

Munster were led out by Stephen Archer, celebrating his 200th cap for the province, but they had a nightmare start.

Healy was tossed a hideous pass from Nick McCarthy, and the hosts conceded a five-metre scrum, from which Scott barrelled over [0-7].

Their lead was extended by a Van der Walt penalty [0-10] while Healy’s sluggish start continued with a pass into touch.

But the Munster scrum got to work to gain the hosts a foothold before Healy slotted their first points [3-7].

And then after 23 phases battering at the Edinburgh line before the break, some quick thinking by O’Donnell was rewarded by the TMO to tie the match at half-time [10-10].

Healy again slotted the extras to make it 10-10 at the break, and the fly-half was clearly warming to his task with a booming penalty upon the resumption.

The 20-year-old from Tipperary added another for a 16-10 lead for Munster who looked to have weathered the storm.

Schoeman went close for the capital side but for a Jack O’Donoghue tackle but replacement Simon Hickey drilled a penalty to trim the lead to three points [16-13].

However, Edinburgh were not done there and with a penalty advantage to come, Kinghorn chanced a kick to the corner and Sau juggled and gathered to go over for the pivotal score [16-18].

And try as they might, an ill-disciplined Munster could not summon a response in the final quarter and Richard Cockerill’s side held on for an impressive win.

live commentary 7:35 PM Friday 29 Nov 2019

{{ comment.matchTime }}

Kick-off 7:35 PM

Munster

Edinburgh

Newsletter sign up

Sign up to our newsletter today to receive the latest updates from the club.

sign up