Caerphilly 18-61 Munster

Ireland international centre Mick Mullins helped himself to four tries as Munster swept to the top of Pool B in the Celtic League.

The Irish provincial champions made it four wins out of five in the new competition and the eight tries they scored at Virginia Park saw them move ahead of Neath at the head of the table.

Caerphilly, without a win so far this season, never looked likely to end that dismal run.

Munster could afford the luxury of making 13 changes from the side that defeated Newport last Friday.

The hosts did manage to take an early lead with the first of two tries for wing Ken Morris but their joy was to be short lived.

Resistance

Jeremy Staunton and Stuart Lawrence traded penalties and then in the 13th minute Munster prop Marcus Horan was sin-binned for deliberately preventing a quick penalty.

Despite being a man down however, Munster were leading 18-8 by the time Horan returned courtesy of tries from lock Donncha O'Callaghan and wing John Kelly.

Morris' second try reduced the arrears but in the run-up to half time Mullins struck twice as the Irish side turned round 30-15 ahead.

Caerphilly put up some staunch resistance in the third quarter to restrict Munster to just a Horan try.

But in the final quarter it was one-way traffic as former Wallaby number eight Jim Williams claimed their sixth try and Mullins completed a superb individual night with two more.

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Caerphilly (15) 18 Tries: Morris 2. Cons: Lawrence. Pens: Lawrence. Drop Goals: Greenslade-Jones.

Munster (30) 61 Tries: Kelly, Mullens 4, Horan, O'Callaghan, Williams. Cons: Staunton 6. Pens: Staunton 3.

Att: 1,500.

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Caerphilly: J Thomas; N Berbillion, R Boobyer, R Greenslade-Jones, K Morris; S Lawrence, S Tuipolotu; M Bolton, D Colclough, C Fitzpatrick, M Workman, D Davies, B Watkins, G Jones, A Williams.
Replacements: L Richards, A Jacobs, M Buckingham, N Watkins, A Jones, J Hughes, G Thomas/T Marston.

Munster: J Staunton, J Kelly, M Mullins, C Mahony, A Horgan, K Keane (capt), M Prendergast, M Horan, J Blaney, M Cahill, D O'Callaghan, J Langord, D Bowles, A Quinlan, J Williams.
Replacements: P Clohessy, J Fogarty, M O'Driscoll, A Foley, D Hegarty, M Lawlor, D Crotty.