Borders undone by teenager

Munster had to rely on a teenage number 10 to rescue them in their Celtic League opener at Thomond Park on Friday as they lurched to a 9-7 win over Border Reivers.

Gregor Townsend: Borders tryscorer

Despite the assistance of nine Ireland internationals from the kick-off, Munster could not break down their less illustrious opponents, and it fell to 19-year-old substitute Jeremy Manning, a former New Zealand schools fly-half, to kick what proved to be the winning penalty just past the hour, adding to two earlier efforts from Paul Burke.

Reivers, still without an away win in four seasons of Celtic League participation, deserved more than their bonus point, and coach Steve Bates will have been roundly cursing two penalty misses from Charlie Hore.

More than 50 points were shared out between the sides in both of last season's meetings, but there was a decidedly lacklustre air to tonight's dismal opening half.

It took 34 minutes of play before Scotland's record cap holder Gregor Townsend, back with Borders in a player-coach capacity, dummied and sliced through the slumbering Munster defence to touch down between the posts. Hore topped the score off with the conversion.

Munster hit back immediately with Burke's first penalty, but were held up twice over the Scots' line late in the half and Bates' men led 7-3 at the break.

The experienced Burke thumped over his second penalty three minutes into the second half, and things looked teed up for Munster's internationals to finally give watching Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan some early season selection posers.

At 7-6 in front, Hore miscued badly in front of the posts, as he had done in the first half, and Munster muscled in on possession in the closing half-hour to net the result.

It was tough going for the Munstermen though. Burke missed a 57th-minute penalty shot before his replacement Manning was successful with his first attempt.

The Cork-based Kiwi almost ended the home side's try duck as well with two eye-catching dummies, but the moves petered out. As did the match - although it is debatable whether it was ever sparking - although a dropped ball from Rob Henderson had Munster nerves jangling at the last.

The scorers:
For Munster:
Pens: Burke 2, Manning

For Borders:
Try: Townsend
Con: Hore

Munster: 15 Shaun Payne, 14 David Wallace, 13 Trevor Halstead, 12 Rob Henderson, 11 John Kelly, 10 Paul Burke, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Anthony Foley (c),  7 Denis Leamy, 6 Stephen Keogh, 5 Mick O'Driscoll, 4 Trevor Hogan, 3 Federico Pucciariello, 2 Jeremy Flannery, 1 Marcus Horan.
Replacements:16 Frank Roche 17 Frank Sheahan 18 John O'Sullivan 19 Alan Quinlan 20 Frank Murphy 21 Jeremy Manning  22 Barry Murphy.

Borders: 15 Stuart Moffat, 14 Simon Danielli, 13 Ben MacDougall, 12 Charlie Hore, 11 Garry Law, 10 Gregor Townsend, 9 Chris Cusiter, 7 Scott Gray, 8 Kelly Brown, 6 Wayne McEntee, 5 Colin Stewart, 4 Opeta Palepoi, 3 Bruce Douglas, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Paul Thomson (captain)
Replacements: 16 Brendan McKerchar, 17 Lee Kibble, 18 John Dalziel, 19 Andy Miller, 20 Andy Rennick, 21 Steve Scott.

Referee: Tim Hayes (WRU)
Touch Judges: Alan Rogan & Tom Horkan (IRFU)