Munster edge out ill-disciplined Edinburgh

United Rugby Championship

Munster (10) 20

Tries: Smith, Milne 2, Wycherley

Edinburgh (12) 19

Munster shook off missing four conversion attempts and took advantage of four yellow cards for Edinburgh to squeeze home by one point in Cork.

Fineen Wycherley’s late try was enough to make it three wins from three for the hosts in the United Rugby Championship, while the visitors will rue those moments of ill-discipline as they endured a second narrow away loss of the season.

Both sides had scored unconverted tries within the opening seven minutes, Andrew Smith gathering a long kick from a quick line-out and Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman replying from a driving maul.

Edinburgh scrum-half Ben Vellacott then sniped over for a close range score soon after a home line-out was snaffled, with Ben Healy adding the extras after his earlier effort came back off the post.

Then came two yellows in space of two minutes, with temporary replacement Glen Young infringing on the goal-line and D’arcy Rae guilty of a high tackle.

Up against 13 men, Munster reduced the half-time deficit to two points as Ireland prop Michael Milne crashed through to mark his first start of the season.

JJ Hanrahan again watched his kick drift wide.

Back to their full complement, Edinburgh stretched their lead with a lovely Darcy Graham try as the Scotland winger ran on to a delicate cross-field kick from James Lang and Healy popped over the conversion.

Milne’s second barrelling try followed a breakdown entry yellow for Freddy Douglas and Edinburgh were once again depleted when Wycherley bundled over after 73 minutes, with visiting captain Magnus Bradbury having been sent to the bin for a croc-roll.

In a frantic finale, Munster number eight Gavin Coombes plunged over with the clock at 80, only for the score to be quickly ruled out for an earlier knock-on.

Munster: Haley; Nash, Farrell, O’Brien, Smith; Hanrahan, Patterson; Milne, Barron (capt), Jager; Kleyn, Wycherley; O’Donoghue, Quinn, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Ryan, Edogbo, Gleeson, Coughlan, Butler, Kelly.

Edinburgh: Goosen, Graham, O’Conor, Lang, Van der Merwe, Healy, Vellacott; Schoeman, Ashman, Rae, Sykes, Skinner, McConnell, Richardson, Bradbury (capt).