Mossie delivers for Munster

Munster 13 Newcastle 10

Afterwards, team colleague Paul O’Connell hailed the magnificent score and declared: “the best could be yet to come from him. I wasn’t in the least bit surprised to see him score a try of that quality. He is a great player, lots of skill and lots of power.”

O’Connell saw the outcome of this game as a major boost for the forthcoming Celtic League. “It was a great win against a much more experienced side.” And Jim Williams said: “Goodness, that last 20 minutes puts pressure on all of us older guys.”

If this was billed as a friendly, nobody told the teams and certainly not the vociferous Thomond Park crowd who took a couple of early exchanges of blows personally.

Newcastle winger Epi Taoine was booed and hissed every time he touched the ball after a high tackle and a later touchline incident with Christian Cullen.

By then the seeds of anger had been sown after a number of head high tackles made by Newcastle defenders, acts that went generally unpunished by referee David Keane.

But amid early mayhem, there were passages of good rugby, a fantastic try from Newcastle and two well deserved penalties by Munster.

Mark Mayerhofler got the opening try after a clever pass from Jonny Wilkinson, whose presence undoubtedly swelled the attendance to over 6,000. The out-half converted.

Paul Burke responded to that fourth minute score with penalties in the fifth and 13th minutes to put Munster right back in the hunt. There was just a point between the sides at the break.

Spurred on by the fantastic atmosphere, Munster had two realistic try scoring chances in the opening minutes of second-half play. Denied by a troubled but resolute defence. Burke also missed a close range penalty.

As both sides experimented with several changes, the plot of this game was lost somewhat, and it appeared to affect the match officials as well. Newcastle were inexplicably awarded a 59th minute penalty after Burke had forced Wilkinson to knock on inside the Munster ’22. Despite Burke’s protests, Wilkinson knocked over the easy kick for a 10-6 lead.

The mayhem continued, with incidents continuing off the ball.

But there was always plenty of excitement and a brilliant break by Denis Leamy ended when the flanker had the ball knocked from his hands as he dived for what might have been a match-winning try. Leamy had another late chance as the seconds ticked away but again lost possession as Munster stormed forward in search of the winner.

That winner came at the death when Mossie Lawlor took possession standing and streamed in for a try that he converted himself. A 13-10 win that was every bit deserved, especially when there were so many rookies involved in the last quarter. It could hardly be described as a new era, but it wasn’t a bad start.

MUNSTER: C. Cullen, S. Payne, J. Storey, R. Henderson, A. Horgan, P. Burke, M. Prendergast, G. McIlwham, J. Flannery, M. Storey, D. Ryan, T. Hogan, S. Keogh, J. Williams (captain), D. Leamy.

Replacements: M. Mullins for Henderson (40), J. Blaney for Flannery (44), M. Lawlor for Horgan, E. Reddan for Prendergast (both 51), S. O’Connor for Ryan (53). J. O’Connor for Williams (56), M. McPhail for Payne (60). Horgan for Burke (61, Lawlor to out half), E. McGovern for M. Storey (71), B. Tuohy for Horgan (73)..

NEWCASTLE: J. Shaw, E. Taione, J. Noon, M. Mayerhofler, M. Stephenson, J. Wilkinson (joint captain), J. Grindal, I. Peel (joint captain), A. Long, M. Hurter, S. Grimes, C. Hamilton, M. McCarthy, C. Charvis. Subs used: A. Buist, M. Wilkinson J. Isaacson, H. Charlton, M. Tait, S. Sititi, M. Thompson.

Referee: D. Keane (IRFU).