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Your support makes all the difference.If Neath fail to make the final of the Celtic League, Lyn Jones and his men will look back to Saturday as the beginning of the end. The Welsh All Blacks – vying with Pontypridd for the title of Wales' top early-season team – shot themselves in the foot, not once but twice, as they crashed at home to Munster.
The 16-point loss means Neath must travel to in-form Edinburgh and bring home five points to secure a home quarter-final.
Make no mistake, Jones' men are a quality side and dangerous opponents for anyone, but a repeat of the error-ridden display they put up on Saturday night will be gleefully accepted by the likes of this weekend's opponents Leicester.
Jones took the defeat well. "It's not all doom and gloom," he said. "Munster were very well prepared and very aware of what to do. They were strong and fit and you've got to give it to them on the day."
Munster continue their march through Celtic opposition. A solid pack, the power of former Wallaby backrower Jim Williams, the boot of fly-half Ronan O'Gara and the defensive brain of the Lions centre Rob Henderson combine with ruthless effect.
It was a Henderson tackle that started Neath's night of misery at The Gnoll. His big hit forced Neath back-rower Nathan Bonner-Evans to spill the ball. The Ireland scrum-half Peter Stringer pounced on it and set his outside backs alight.
They revelled in the broken-play, running 80 metres from their opponents' try-line, and winger Moss Lawlor chimed in on the angle to score untouched under the posts. O'Gara's conversion and two penalty goals gave his side an early 13-3 lead before the home fly-half Lee Jarvis pegged things back with his second three-pointer on the half-hour mark.
Jarvis's third penalty goal had Neath right back in the match, before the home side's second moment of madness. Winger Sean Marsden, just back on the field after having a head injury bandaged, cleared from behind his line – straight to the Munster backline. Henderson linked with Mike Mullins and Williams provided the power to get over the line.
Neath had the chance to claw their way back shortly after half-time when quick ball put centre James Storey in space. An unmarked Marsden was screaming for the ball outside him, but Storey decided that breaking three Munster tackles was the easier option. He didn't break any and The Gnoll fans were silent for the first time this season.
Late tries to Frankie Sheahan and O'Gara gave Munster, the tournament favourites, a bonus point, and they have to only beat Caerphilly – winless in nearly two seasons of Celtic League rugby – to confirm a home quarter-final.
Neath: Try S Jones; Penalties Jarvis 4; Conversion Connor. Munster: Tries Lawlor, J Williams, Sheahan, O'Gara; Penalties O'Gara 3; Conversions O'Gara 3.
Neath: G Morris; S Marsden, J Storey, D Tieuti (A Bateman, 78), S Williams; L Jarvis (S Connor, 57), P Horgan (A Moore, 58); D Jones, B Williams (S Jones, 58), A Jones (A Millward, 64), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), H Jenkins (A Mocelutu, 64), N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy.
Munster: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson (J Holland, 72), M Lawlor; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan (S Kerr, 54), F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll (M Galwey, 80), J Williams (capt), A Foley, A Quinlan (D Crotty, 80).
Referee: C White (England).
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