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Captain Peter O\u2019Mahony claimed a crucial lone try as Munster overcame Saracens 10-3 in a scrappy Heineken Champions Cup contest at a weather-beaten Thomond Park.<\/p>\nCaptain Peter O\u2019Mahony claimed a crucial lone try as Munster overcame Saracens 10-3 in a scrappy Heineken Champions Cup contest at a weather-beaten Thomond Park.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Mahony\u2019s 30th-minute touchdown \u2013 adding to JJ Hanrahan\u2019s five points from the tee \u2013 was all the hosts could muster from their first half wind advantage and a two-thirds share of both possession and territory.<\/p>\n
Ben Spencer kicked a penalty for Saracens.<\/p>\n
The driving wind and rain became much bigger factors during an error-strewn second half, the ball becoming a veritable bar of soap.<\/p>\n
Spencer suffered his second penalty miss and Munster stood firm despite replacement Arno Botha\u2019s 80th-minute red card for leading with a forearm into Nick Tompkins.<\/p>\n
Despite a number of notable absentees, the defending European champions still traveled with a team that contained players of the quality of captain Brad Barritt, Alex Lozowski, who led them out on the occasion of his 100th cap, and formidable locks Maro Itoje and Will Skelton.<\/p>\n
It was nip and tuck early on, Sarries winning the first scrum penalty before Munster disrupted the visitors\u2019 lineout, and Chris Farrell and Keith Earls increased the pressure with a couple of clever kicks in behind.<\/p>\n
Munster went for the corner from a subsequent penalty, and after Tadhg Beirne was held up, Hanrahan took the three points courtesy of a 17th-minute scrum infringement.<\/p>\n
Prop Richard Barrington\u2019s show-and-go got the visitors on the move, but they needed a Farrell knock-on to deny Rory Scannell a try at the other end.<\/p>\n
Having foiled a threatening counter-attack from Matt Gallagher, Munster\u2019s first touchdown duly arrived on the half-hour mark.<\/p>\n
Lifting the pace, center Scannell\u2019s pinpoint pass invited Earls to cut inside and the quick ball, a few meters out, allowed Conor Murray to put his skipper stretching over.<\/p>\n
Hanrahan nailed the tricky conversion for a double-figures lead, although Saracens enjoyed the stronger finish to the half.<\/p>\n
Scrum-half Spencer hit the post with a penalty effort, Munster failed to clear with a Farrell shank, and Barrington seized possession which led to Spencer punishing an offside with three points.<\/p>\n
With the weather conditions deteriorating considerably on the restart, Saracens got their big carriers on the ball but again Spencer lashed a penalty against the post.<\/p>\n
Skelton then lost the ball in contact near the Munster line, before Nick Isiekwe\u2019s charge-down on Murray went dead.<\/p>\n
While Munster\u2019s Mike Haley coped well with the slippery ball from a couple of kicks, retaining possession and building attacks was proving very difficult, especially with both lineouts under pressure on a very tough night for hookers.<\/p>\n
Defenses continued to be on top during a tense final quarter, with some terrific maul defense from Jack O\u2019Donoghue and Billy Holland lifting the Irish province, while Itoje and company won the breakdown battle to send Sarries back downfield.<\/p>\n
Mark McCall\u2019s men had one last-gasp opportunity, afforded to them by South African Botha\u2019s foul play highlighted by a TMO review.<\/p>\n
However, O\u2019Donoghue came up with a vital lineout steal, with the the result keeping Munster second in Pool Four ahead of next Saturday\u2019s rematch at Allianz Park.<\/p>\n