{"id":17890,"date":"2020-11-15T12:19:26","date_gmt":"2020-11-15T16:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=17890"},"modified":"2020-11-16T10:21:06","modified_gmt":"2020-11-16T14:21:06","slug":"coombes-scores-a-hat-trick-as-munster-defeat-ospreys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=17890","title":{"rendered":"Coombes Scores A Hat-Trick As Munster Defeat Ospreys"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Munster’s Gavin Coombes celebrates after scoring a try with Darren Sweetnam
(\u00a9INPHO\/Dan Sheridan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>Hat-trick hero Gavin Coombes was in unstoppable form in Munster’s 38-22 Guinness PRO14 win over the Ospreys at Thomond Park.<\/p>\n

The Skibbereen youngster starred as Johann van Graan’s men bagged a bonus point to go eight points clear at the top of Conference B.<\/p>\n

Munster built a 24-10 half-time lead with converted tries from number 8 Coombes, Mike Haley and Kevin O’Byrne cancelling out an early Luke Morgan effort.<\/p>\n

After grabbing a second try during Morgan’s sin-bin period, Coombes, the eventual player-of-the-match, completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute.<\/p>\n

It was five tries to three in the end, with the resilient Ospreys forcing a late penalty try to add to Dewi Lake’s maul score.<\/p>\n

The Ospreys bounced back from Bradley Davies’ injury-enforced departure to seize a sixth-minute lead. Bright spark Mat Protheroe brilliantly sliced through on a kick return to sent Morgan over out wide.<\/p>\n

Stephen Myler’s pinpoint conversion made it the full seven points, but unbeaten Munster were level by the quarter hour mark.<\/p>\n

Coombes, who bagged a brace recently against Cardiff Blues, took three defenders with him over the try-line, handing JJ Hanrahan a simple conversion.<\/p>\n

It got even better for the hosts in the 18th minute, full-back Haley tidying up a loose ball and gliding past a couple of defenders to score just to the right of the posts.<\/p>\n

With Hanrahan nursing an injury, Rory Scannell converted before replacement Ben Healy rewarded Stephen Archer’s scrummaging with a 23rd-minute penalty.<\/p>\n

A Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler interception led to Ospreys threatening again from the searing pace of Protheroe and Morgan, only for Damian de Allende to win a breakdown penalty.<\/p>\n

Better play from the visitors’ pack had Myler closing the gap to 17-10 in the 33rd minute. However, Munster hooker O’Byrne, who had given up that penalty, responded with a try from a surging lineout drive that contained backs and forwards.<\/p>\n

Healy converted for a 14-point margin at the break, and with Ospreys winger Morgan having been binned for a deliberate knock-on, Munster took further advantage when Craig Casey wriggled up close to the line and Coombes burrowed over from the ruck.<\/p>\n

Munster made up for Jean Kleyn’s near miss by crossing again through a quick tap by Coombes, who had the Ireland lock on the latch. Healy added the extras for a 38-10 scoreline.<\/p>\n

The Ospreys rallied to dominate the final quarter, drawing encouragement from replacement hooker Lake’s well-finished 64th-minute try which saw him crash over from a lineout maul.<\/p>\n

Their scrum also earned a penalty try after an increasingly sloppy Munster had lost captain Jack O’Donoghue to the bin for hands in the ruck.<\/p>\n

Speaking after his side’s fifth straight victory of the campaign, O’Donoghue said: “I think we played quite well in patches, probably took the foot off the pedal a bit near the end.<\/p>\n

“Certainly we have a few work-ons, but we’re starting to build momentum from the last five games and I think that’s crucial going into Europe in a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

“It has to be an emphasis every year, a home semi-final is crucial. I think in the last three, we’ve been away to Leinster and it is tough. So, certainly if we can stay top of that Conference, it puts us in a good place come knockout rugby.”<\/p>\n

He added: “We need to give the coaches selection headaches and we need a big squad going forward…competition for places and bringing the best out of each other in training and pushing each other for places.”<\/p>\n

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