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February 18, 2006

Munster 20 - 26 Glasgow Warriors

Celtic League match played at Thomond Park on Saturday February 18th 2006 | 5 comments

Colin Gregor was man-of-the-match
Fly-half Colin Gregor inspired Glasgow Warriors to a famous double over Munster as the Irish province slumped to only their second defeat in 26 home games.

Colin, deputising for the Scotland-tied Dan Parks, scored 21 of Glasgow's points - including a crucial converted try and two penalties just after the break - to allow them hang on for a 26-20 win over the Celtic League leaders at Thomond Park.

Having scored three first-half tries through captain Anthony Foley, Stephen Keogh and Anthony Horgan, Munster were left shell-shocked when Colin Gregor single-handedly doubled Glasgow's first half tally for a 26-17 lead, 11 minutes into the second half.

Laying siege to the Glasgow line, Munster were left frustrated as a sequence of knock-ons and loose passes prevented them for getting a fourth try - a score that would certainly have won it for them late on, after fly half Mossie Lawlor had closed the gap to six with a 72nd-minute penalty.

Having earned their first ever win (32-10) over Munster at Hughenden in September, Hugh Campbell's men travelled south with a degree of confidence, helped by the presence of six members of the Scotland 6 Nations squad in their match-day 22.

Munster began in fine style when inspirational number eight Foley followed up on flanker Keogh's surge from a ruck to score in the left corner after only three minutes. Lawlor missed the conversion.

Munster's lead was short-lived - just four minutes later, Colin Gregor combined with his captain Jon Petrie to put scrum half Sam Pinder over behind the posts for a converted try.

Gregor added a penalty on 13 minutes, but Munster bullied their way back in for a 17-13 lead at the interval.

Keogh lunged over from a close range ruck for the hosts' second try on 31 minutes and while Colin Gregor kicked his second penalty, Barry Murphy and John Kelly made the hard yards for winger Horgan to cross the whitewash in injury-time.

Colin, though, left Munster punch-drunk after the restart when he sandwiched a 47th-minute try, set up by new centre Spencer Davey, in between two penalties to establish a nine-point buffer for Hugh Campbell's men.

Munster dug deep to try and muster a comeback but the Glasgow defence shut up shop for the closing half-hour.

The visitors lost winger Mike Roberts to the sin-bin for a high tackle, five minutes from time, but the Scots hung on for only their second win in eight games.

Referee Nigel Owen (Wales)
Attendance 5,000
Man of the Match Colin Gregor deserved the Man of the Match title, but other close contenders were Rory Lamont and Sam Pinder.
Team
1
Kevin Tkachuk
2
Fergus Thomson
3
Euan Murray
4
Dan Turner
5
Craig Hamilton
6
Steve Swindall
7
Gregor Hayter
8
Jon Petrie
9
Sam Pinder
10
Colin Gregor
11
Mike Roberts
12
Graeme Morrison
13
Spencer Davey
14
Hefin O'Hare
15
Rory Lamont
Sub
Scott Lawson
Sub
Lee Harrison
Sub
Stuart Corsar
Sub
James Eddie
Sub
Iain Monaghan
Sub
Iain Kennedy
Sub
Graydon Staniforth
Match Substitutions
Off On
Fergus Thomson Scott Lawson
Off On
Gregor Hayter James Eddie
Off On
Spencer Davey Graydon Staniforth
Off On
Euan Murray Lee Harrison
Scorers
Sam Pinder Try 
Colin Gregor Conversion
Colin Gregor Penalty
Colin Gregor Penalty
Colin Gregor Penalty
Colin Gregor Try 
Colin Gregor Conversion
Colin Gregor Penalty
Colin Gregor Penalty
Comments
Posted by Big col on February 18, 2006 07:35 PM | Reply to this comment

Watched the match on setanta fantastic. Great win only one point behind Borders now hopefully we should now finish above them.Loads of errors from both sides, but who cares we won.Mon The England next week.

Posted by [Anon] on February 19, 2006 10:43 AM | Reply to this comment

Heres an intresting stat, there are more tries scored when cloin gregor is playing than when dan is playing, no slight against dan but colin has been fantastic this season, he really deserves a long run in the team

Posted by McDruid on February 19, 2006 06:05 PM | Reply to this comment

His Mum is Welsh. It's in his genes!

Posted by S153 on February 19, 2006 06:41 PM | Reply to this comment

His distribution of the ball is far quicker than Dan's, I would like to see Colin get a run of games, surely he deserves it?

Posted by hugh on February 19, 2006 07:52 PM | Reply to this comment

As McDruid says he is`part Welsh and also toured with Hawks in South Africa

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