BY TONY TIGHE
MUNSTER’S hopes of retaining their Magners League crown took a further knock last weekend as they crashed to defeat in Scotland for the second time this season.
After falling to Glasgow on the opening weekend Tony McGahan’s side suffered a 12-7 reverse to Edinburgh at Murrayfield — the home side claiming a second Irish scalp in as many weeks.
The words ‘Munster’ and ‘midtable’ rarely go hand in hand but that is currently the case which makes their home game with first placed Ulster this weekend all the more important.
The defending champions have lost half of their six Magners League games, one short of their total defeats for last season.
It means the pressure is on to get back to winning ways against a side who humiliated them on their home patch last year. Twelve points from the boot of Chris Paterson were Munster’s downfall in the Scottish capital.
Edinburgh led 9-0 at the break and although David Wallace cut the deficit when he crashed over 11 minutes into the second-half another Paterson effort saw the home side edge a disappointing affair.
While Paterson was nerveless in his goal-kicking Ronan O’Gara’s poor run of form continues.
The Ireland star fluffed three penalties and twice kicked the ball dead before being substituted.
Munster pushed for a winner late on with Jean de Villiers going close two minutes from time following an outside break but they were frustratingly turned over and Edinburgh clung on.
Connacht remain marooned at the bottom of the table after they also fell to Scottish opponents — going down 34-20 away to Glasgow.
Thom Evans ran in two tries for the hosts with brother Max capping his return from injury by going over inside two minutes. Fionn Carr grabbed Connacht’s only try.
They are now five points adrift of second-bottom Cardiff with just one victory from six games.
Next up is a home tie with Scarlets.