Paterson gives Munster a headache

Editor

Four penalties from the boot of Chris Paterson deepened the gloom over Munster as Edinburgh won 12-7 in the Magners League.

Four penalties from the boot of Chris Paterson deepened the gloom over Munster as Edinburgh won 12-7 in the Magners League on Friday.

Edinburgh went to the top of the Magners League with the hard-fought win – their first defeat of the Irish province since October 2006.

Ireland international Ronan O'Gara had an off night, missing three shots at goal.

O'Gara did convert David Wallace's second-half try but it was not enough for the visitors.

Munster were offside at the start and Paterson kicked the resulting penalty.

However, although the hosts dominated the rest of the opening quarter from quick possession they could not breach the visitors' defence.

The closest they came was when they drove a five-metre lineout only for the ball to pop out on the Munster side.

The set scrum was proving a messy area with each side taking one against the head.

When the ball came out on Munster's side after 21 minutes Edinburgh were penalised in the subsequent mess but O'Gara missed the kick.

Five minutes later O'Gara stuck a penalty to touch 10 metres from the Edinburgh line which then fell under prolonged siege.

Munster drove line-outs and attempted to pick and dive over. Number eight Wallace drove over but the effort was ruled out by the tv official.

A splendid tackle by Ross Ford on his Lions captain Paul O'Connell ended the siege and allowed Edinburgh to go up field.

Paterson kicked two more penalties after an infringement by Donncha O'Callaghan before punishing another offside with his third penalty.

Ian Dowling misjudged a kick from Phil Godman two minutes after the restart, putting Tim Visser apparently clear down the left wing.

But Munster centre Jean De Villiers recovered to save his side.

Dowling was then involved in chasing a kick from O'Gara that ended in a five-metre scrum.

Wallace touched down off the scrum and O'Gara converted to cut Edinburgh's lead to two points.

Paterson then extended Edinburgh's lead by maintaining his 100% record with a simple penalty.

Six minutes later O'Gara failed from long distance, his third penalty miss.

In the closing minute centre Ben Cairns ghosted past two men but appeared to suffer a leg injury when he was tackled to worry Scotland coach Andy Robinson.

The scorers:

For Edinburgh:
Pens: Paterson 4

For Munster:
Try: Wallace
Con: O'Gara

Edinburgh: 15 Chris Paterson, 14 John Houston, 13 Ben Cairns, 12 Nick De Luca, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Mike Blair (capt), 8 Scott Newlands, 7 Roddy Grant, 6 Alan MacDonald, 5 Scott MacLeod, 4 Steve Turnbull, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Kyle Traynor.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Kelly, 17 Allan Jacobsen, 18 Craig Hamilton, 19 Allister Hogg, 20 Greig Laidlaw, 21 Andrew Turnbull, 22 Steve Jones.

Munster: 15 Paul Warwick, 14 Ian Dowling, 13 Lifeimi Mafi, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Tomas O'Leary, 1 Darragh Hurley, 2 Denis Fogarty, 3 Julien Brugnaut, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 6 Niall Ronan, 7 David Wallace, 8 Denis Leamy.
Replacements: 16 Damien Varley, 17 Stephen Archer, 18 Mick O'Driscoll, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Peter Stringer, 21 Denis Hurley, 22 Felix Jones.

Referee: Gwyn Morris (Wales)
Assistant referees: Iain Heard (Scotland), Graeme Marshall (Scotland)
Television match official: Iain Ramage (Scotland)
Assessor: Jim Fleming (Scotland)