Munster 17–15 Connacht – O’Donoghue double helps to keep Munster absolute best as overlooked kicks and Ralston harm harm Connacht

Munster 17–15 Connacht: O’Donoghue Double Assists in keeping Munster Unbeaten as Neglected Kicks and Ralston Damage Hang-out Connacht

URC Spherical 5 | Thomond Park | 25 October 2025

Munster completed the outlet block of the BKT URC season unbeaten after edging Connacht 17–15 in a bruising interprovincial made up our minds, all over again, through the narrowest of margins.

For the 2d immediately week, Connacht’s goal-kicking proved their undoing. 3 tries at the board however no conversions left them two issues brief — following remaining week’s one-point defeat after some other overlooked kick.

Grit Over Glamour

It used to be no longer an evening for spotlight reels however somewhat for grit, endurance, and sheer will. Captain Jack O’Donoghue embodied all 3, powering over for 2 tries — together with the match-winner — to protected Munster’s 5th immediately victory and ship them into the world spoil joint-top of the desk with the Stormers.

Connacht’s Byron Ralston crossed two times whilst skipper Paul Boyle crashed over sooner than half-time, but with out accuracy from the tee they might no longer translate effort into issues.

First-Part Fireworks

Connacht began brightly, taking part in lengthy spells of early ownership and forcing Munster to protect for over twenty stages. The hosts survived that onslaught and counter-attacked decisively. When Josh Ioane failed to seek out contact, Munster countered via Shane Daly and Diarmuid Kilgallen sooner than Dan Kelly burst the defensive position and put O’Donoghue away for the outlet check out.

5 mins later, Ioane atoned for his error with a chic offload to Ralston, who scored to stage the competition. Connacht stayed at the entrance foot and shortly added some other, Ioane once more central with a wonderfully timed skip-pass that allowed Ralston to finish his brace.

Momentum then flipped right away. Studying Ioane’s subsequent move, Diarmuid Kilgallen intercepted and sprinted the duration of Thomond Park to the touch down beneath the posts on his go back from harm. JJ Hanrahan added the extras for a 12–10 lead.

However Connacht completed the half of more potent. A maul check out awarded to Paul Boyle, showed through the TMO, nudged them forward 15–12 on the period — all 3 tries unconverted however sufficient to stay the guests in entrance.

2nd-Part Arm-Combat

The second one half of used to be outlined through stoppages and collisions. Connacht misplaced Byron Ralston to what gave the look of a severe knee harm in a while after the restart — certainly one of seven avid gamers withdrawn in a bruising come across — whilst Munster ruled territory and ownership (69% ownership, 83% territory in the second one half of).

Nonetheless, the step forward refused to come back till the 67th minute. After a chain of brief carries from the pack, alternative prop Ronan Foxe drove shut and fed O’Donoghue, who powered over for his 2d check out. Alternative Tony Butler narrowly overlooked the conversion, leaving Munster 17–15 forward.

Connacht pressed overdue on however dealing with mistakes and Munster’s suffocating defence — led through Gavin Coombes (20 carries, 18 tackles) and Jean Kleyn (13 tackles) — ensured the house facet closed out but some other nail-biter.

📊 Fit Stats

Most sensible Performers
🏅 Alex Nankivell – 47 m, 15 carries, 12 passes
💪 Jack O’Donoghue – 2 tries, 23 m, 8 carries, 10 tackles
⚡ Diarmuid Kilgallen – 107 m, 4 defenders overwhelmed, 2 offloads
🧱 Gavin Coombes – 61 m, 20 carries, 18 tackles
🔒 Jean Kleyn – 13 carries, 13 tackles
💥 Paul Boyle (C) – 1 check out, 20 tackles, 8 carries

Scorers

Munster: Tries – Jack O’Donoghue (2), Diarmuid Kilgallen | Conversion – JJ Hanrahan (1)
Connacht: Tries – Byron Ralston (2), Paul Boyle | Conversions – None

Line-Ups

Munster: Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Lee Barron, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhan Quinn, Jake O’Riordan, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.

Connacht: Harry West; Byron Ralston, Hugh Gavin, Cathal Forde, Finn Treacy; Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Sam Illo; Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray; Josh Murphy, Paul Boyle (C), Sean Jansen.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Fiachna Barrett, Niall Murray, David O’Connor, Matthew Devine, Sean Naughton, Seán O’Brien.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

Aftermath

Munster stay joint-top of the URC on 23 issues, unbeaten throughout their first 5 video games. Connacht, now twelfth, are left pissed off after consecutive slim losses made up our minds through overlooked kicks.

They’re going to hope for reinforcements when the league resumes. Byron Ralston’s knee harm appeared severe and may just sideline him for a number of weeks, however Connacht are anticipated to welcome new signing Sam Gilbert from the Highlanders by the point they face the Sharks at house on 29 November. Gilbert, who can play full-back or centre, could also be a confirmed goal-kicker and must take over kicking tasks as Stuart Lancaster’s facet glance to secure their season.