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League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Munster's Jack O'Donoghue and Jean Kleyn celebrate.Ben Brady/INPHO FreeReaction 'One thing that wasn’t missing was effort' - McMillan pleased as Munster find a way Munster came from behind to beat Stuart Lancaster’s Connacht at Thomond Park. 11.02pm, 25 Oct 2025 Share options Ciarán Kennedy Reports from Thomond Park MUNSTER’S 17-15 WIN against Connacht this evening might not live as long in the memory as last weekend’s triumph over Leinster, but for Clayton McMillan, all that mattered was getting another win on the board. His team had to dig this one out at Thomond Park, trailing by three points at the break and scoring the only try of the second period to win on a 17-15 scoreline. Having asked his team to back up the Leinster win tonight, McMillan felt he got the desired response. The rugby wasn’t the prettiest, but the determination needed to force the result their way was there as Munster overcame a spirited Connacht side, who defended with heart despite a rising injury count. “I was just talking to Jack (O’Donoghue) outside that one thing that wasn’t missing today was effort,” said McMillan. “And after last week, when you play those sorts of games, a lot of the emotion, a huge amount of energy spent, it can be tough to back up the following week and we acknowledged that early.” Advertisement The win means Munster are joint-top of the URC table, sitting alongside the Stormers having collected 23 points across five straight wins to start the season. “I thought the coaching staff and the players really responded well to the challenge during the week,” McMillan continued. “We parked the euphoria of the previous week and got on with the business knowing that Connacht were going to come here and throw the kitchen sink at us and that’s what we got. “So really pleasing and I could sense through the warm-up that we were there mentally and the effort was there. We weren’t gifted a lot and we had to work for everything but we got there.” Connacht boss Stuart Lancaster was left disappointed with the result, but proud of his team’s efforts. “Obviously very disappointed to not get over the line, having had a really good first half,” Lancaster said. “We went in 15-12, it could have been a little bit more if we slotted a couple of conversions and obviously the intercept (Diarmuid Kilgallen try) was a big moment. “We had a lot of adversity to deal with, a lot of injuries, four guys going off early in the game. Probably 50 minutes in I’m looking thinking ‘Jeez, we’ve used a lot of the bench already’ and there wasn’t an intention to use any. “But ultimately in the second half Munster had all the territory and all the possession and then they sort of strangled the life out of us, scored the try, but we still have opportunities and ultimately it’s disappointing. “As I said to the boys in the changing room, it’s a very difficult place to come and win, but it’s no consolation to get a point, and we need to use the break well now to work hard, improve, because obviously there’s elements we can improve, and attack the next block which is 10 games straight.” Connacht had no update available on their injuries from the game, with Byron Ralston leaving on a stretcher early in the second half. 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