GUINNESS PRO12: Edinburgh stun Munster at Thomond Park
Last Updated: 13/09/14 6:10pm
Edinburgh recorded a rare win on Irish soil as they triumphed 14-13 over Munster at Thomond Park.
Alan Solomons' men gained a measure of revenge for last season's 55-12 hammering by the same opponents, beginning the new GUINNESS PRO12 campaign with a well-earned four points.
New fly-half Tom Heathcote coolly slotted three penalties to give Edinburgh a deserved 9-5 half-time lead, with CJ Stander touching down for the hosts while Tomas Leonardi was in the sin-bin.
Edinburgh were briefly down to 13 men when Hamish Watson was punished for a ruck offence, but Jack Cuthbert crossed in the 48th minute to leave Munster with work to do.
Stander's second try of the evening did set up a tense final quarter but the hosts failed to score again, Ian Keatley missing their best chance when he couldn't convert a last-gasp penalty.
It meant Edinburgh had managed to pull off just their second triumph in 24 attempts in Ireland.
Late withdrawal
Heathcote was only starting due to the late withdrawal Greig Tonks but took his chances to kick the visitors into an early 6-0 lead.
Edinburgh's aggressive pack - led by man of the match Cornell du Preeze - held the edge until flanker Leonardi saw yellow for a 32nd-minute tip tackle on Zebo. Munster mauled up close from a lineout and the recycled ball saw Stander crash over past both centres for a well-taken try.
Keatley missed the conversion however and Edinburgh finished the first half strongly, busy centre Sam Beard's forward pass ruling out a try for Tim Visser before Heathcote knocked over another penalty.
Watson was yellow carded for killing Munster ball after an incisive break by Simon Zebo, yet the 14 men of Edinburgh soon broke downfield for a fine try, Cuthbert getting on the end of Beard's grubber kick to score in the right corner.
Stander - the focal point of the Munster pack - answered back on the hour mark, rolling his way over the try-line having shrugged off Heathcote's initial tackle.
Keatley missed the conversion and although he did cut the gap to one with a successful penalty, his failure to convert another opportunity off the tee condemned Munster to a third straight reverse at their home ground.
