YORKSHIRE Carnegie held off a late revival by Munster A to win their British & Irish Cup tie 43-29 at Headingley yesterday.

And, as is becoming a habit, one player grabbed most of the limelight in terms of tries scored.

Following on from Josh Bainbridge's five tries at Bristol in October and his four against Rotherham Titans last month, flanker Andy Saull also scored four against the Irishman.

Skipper Saul was driven over for his first try after only seven minutes but the hosts soon found themselves 10-5 behind as Munster, whos equick hands caused problems, replied with a Duncan Williams try and a Johnny Holland conversion to add to his earlier penalty.

But Joe Graham levelled the scores with a try, Joel Hodgson's conversion giving Carnegie a lead they would not relinquish.

By half-time, the hard work of the groundstaff in clearing the pitch, aided by the undersoil heating, were rewarded with Yorkshire Carnegie being ahead 31-10.

Saull's second try after 29 minutes came courtesy of a rolling maul, and his hat-trick score just before half-time was sandwiched by a superb try by Andy Forsyth following a scrum.

Hodgson converted both of Saull's later tries but hit a post with his attempted conversion of Forsyth's try – a fate which befell him when he tried to add the extras to Saull's opening try.

The fans, who were admitted free after the match was switched on Saturday from Lockwood Park, the frozen home of Huddersfield RUFC, didn't have to wait long for Saull's fourth try in the second half.

Hodgson's goal extended the home side's lead to 38-10 before Munster narrowed the gap to 38-29 by the 75th minute via tries by Lee Nicholas, David Johnson and Cian Bohane, Holland adding two conversions, but replacement Pete Lucock's try nipped the visitors' comeback in the bud.