HIGHLIGHTS | Munster kick off New Year with Connacht loss

Connacht pulled away from Munster in the final quarter to claim the spoils on a wet and windy afternoon at the Sportsground.

Munster kicked off 2024 with a disappointing 22-9 loss away to Connacht on New Year’s Day.

The sides were level going into the closing stages, but two penalties from former Munster player JJ Hanrahan and the only try of the game from prop Jack Aungier ensured Munster left Galway empty-handed.

The Red Army were forced to make a couple of pre-match changes when hooker Eoghan Clarke and lock Fineen Wycherley joined an evergrowing injury list.

Graham Rowntree’s men were then forced to make two further changes in the opening half when tighthead Oli Jager and No.8 Jack O’Donoghue departed through injuries of their own.

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Hanrahan got Connacht off the mark with a penalty after 17 minutes, but Tony Butler levelled five minutes later with a penalty.

Butler edged Munster back in front seven minutes from the break without another penalty and Connacht ended the half down a man when winger Byron Ralston was binned for a tackle on O’Donoghue.

The game was nip and tuck, with Hanrahan and Butler cancelling each other out.

Connacht doubled their lead eight minutes from time when Hanrahan landed his fifth penalty from distance, and Munster were denied a bonus point when replacement prop Aungier got over for the only try of the game in the closing minutes.

Munster: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Tony Butler (Sean O’Brien, 72), Conor Murray (Paddy Patterson, 75); Jeremy Loughman (Josh Wycherley, 78), Scott Buckley, Oli Jager (inj, John Ryan, 11); Gavin Coombes, Tadhg Beirne (C); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett (Brian Gleeson, 78), Jack O’Donoghue (inj, Alex Kendellen, 40).