Munster beat Bulls 26-22 as 20-year-old Charlie O'Shea scores 16 points on first start
Fly-half Charlie O'Shea scored two tries and kicked three conversions at Thomond Park to lead Munster to a bonus-point victory over the South African Bulls in round two of the United Rugby Championship.
Breakthrough start at Thomond Park
Munster secured their first victory of the United Rugby Championship season on Saturday evening, defeating the Bulls 26-22 at Thomond Park in Limerick. Twenty-year-old academy out-half Charlie O'Shea led the Irish province with 16 individual points, scoring two tries and kicking three conversions in his first competitive start. O'Shea, who developed through Dolphin, CBC Cork, UCC, and Erin's Own GAA before playing for Ireland Under-20, stepped into the starting lineup following a debut off the bench in the round-one 26-20 loss to Glasgow Warriors. The result reversed Munster's previous meeting with the Bulls, who defeated them 45-14 in Pretoria during the previous season's quarter-finals.
First-half exchange of scores
The Bulls opened the scoring in the 14th minute when lock Ruan Vermaak crossed the line following a sequence of penalties in the Munster 22, with Curwin Bosch adding the conversion. Munster responded immediately as O'Shea delivered a crossfield kick to winger Diarmuid Kilgallen, who caught the ball over the line before O'Shea curled the conversion from the right touchline to tie the score at 7-7. On the 30-minute mark, O'Shea charged down a clearance kick from Bosch near the Bulls 22 and won the race to ground the ball. The Bulls answered before the interval, leaving the match tied 14-14 at half-time after tries from Klopper and Rudolph kept the visitors level.
- Ruan Vermaak scores opening try converted by Curwin Bosch for the Bulls
- Charlie O'Shea assists Diarmuid Kilgallen with crossfield kick and converts to level at 7-7
- Charlie O'Shea charges down Curwin Bosch clearance kick to score Munster's second try
- Teams enter the interval level at 14-14 following first-half tries
- Charlie O'Shea scores second try and Alex Kendellen adds bonus-point score
- Charlie O'Shea departs to standing ovation as JJ Hanrahan enters to close out 26-22 victory
Second-half control and injury challenges
The Bulls took a 17-14 lead early in the second half through a Bosch penalty, but Munster controlled the contest across the final 30 minutes. O'Shea scored his second try with an acrobatic finish in the right corner to push Munster into a 19-17 advantage. Back-row forward Alex Kendellen crossed shortly after to secure Munster's fourth try and an attacking bonus point, while O'Shea added his third conversion of the night. The province secured the result despite significant injury setbacks, having lost lock Fineen Wycherley before kickoff, prop Michael Milne to a leg injury in the seventh minute, and Kilgallen after his try, which forced prop Kieran Brookes to finish the contest playing out of position at hooker.
- Munster
- 26 points
- Bulls
- 22 points
Post-match reaction and upcoming fixtures
O'Shea departed to a standing ovation from the Thomond Park crowd on 68 minutes, replaced by veteran fly-half JJ Hanrahan, who pinned the Bulls back with tactical kicking in the closing stages. Matchday captain Craig Casey praised his young half-back partner for finding his voice throughout training, while head coach Clayton McMillan commended the rookie's preparation and execution.
You don't want to blow too much smoke up his backside. It's the early days but he's had a couple of runs now and he's taken to it like a duck to water.
Reflecting on the atmosphere during his starting debut, O'Shea credited the home supporters with lifting the squad in the final quarter.
Ah, it was just unbelievable. I probably got lucky there with one of the tries but the fans were great. It's the loudest crowd I have played in front of and they really gave us energy there to kick on and get the win.
Munster travel to face Ulster in their next fixture, while the Bulls head back to South Africa to play the Lions in Pretoria.
