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Dragons breathe fire in Munster

The Newport Gwent Dragons came agonisingly close to a win over Munster as the Men Of Gwent ran the Celtic League table toppers agonisingly close.

Kath McCarthy | 31/01/2006

In a passionate performance The Dragons forwards can take plenty from their performance and if final passes had gone to hand then the final result could have been much different.

Munster took an early lead as they started the game at a frantic pace and scored a try with only four minutes on the clock. Mossie Lawlor broke through The Dragons midfield defence and passed to Gary Connolly who off loaded to Anthony Foley who barged over the try line. Lawlor added the conversion.

However, The Dragons responded quickly and within six minutes had scored a try of their own. Rhys Oakley, Gareth Cooper and Craig Warlow all went close to the Munster line before Rhys Thomas broke through the first line of defence and stretched for the try line. Referee Malcolm Changleng did not award the try. In the next attacking move of the game Cooper fed Thomas who passed to his fellow front row man Adam Black who scored in the corner.

This sparked some flowing rugby from The Dragons and Jamie Ringer charged down a Lawlor clearance kick but Munster managed to get the ball away.

In the 29th minute Lawlor added a penalty after Jason Forster was judged to have high tackled Horgan while youngster Aled Thomas stopped a certain try when he stopped Captain Foley in his tracks.

The second half saw The Dragons mount endless pressure on Munster but were never quite able to break through and get the decisive score. Like Thomas in the first half Forster was denied a try by the referee after judging The Dragons captain was held up. Warlow did add a 65th minute penalty and the last 15 minutes saw both sides throw everything at each other and only some brave tackles by both sides prevented either team from scoring.

The Dragons will rue the one that got away but will take pride from their performance.

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