Munster 'going to enjoy the moment'

Munster 33 Leinster 9

Well over 8,000 people saw Munster beat their rivals into submission up front and out-play them by utilising the width of the pitch, something apparently Leinster sources predicted could not be done, scoring five tries without reply on the way to a comprehensive win.

There were shaky moments, not least when Munster decided to play against the strong wind and conceded three penalties without reply. Had Felipe Contepomi, otherwise an exemplary Leinster captain, taken his chances, it could have been 15-0 to the visitors.

But Munster battled back and grabbed the only try of the first period when Marcus Horan popped up in the right hand corner and finished off the best move of the game. The 9-5 advantage to Leinster was not huge in the circumstances.

At the end of the game Munster second row Mick O'Driscoll was nominated as Man of the Match and he has been brilliant at the coal face in Munster's games this season. Yesterday was no different, but Quinlan (apart from the concession of two silly penalties), Leamy and Tomas O'Leary were surely better placed to take the spoils.

O'Leary in particular had a huge influence on the outcome. In for the injured Peter Stringer, he sent a clear signal to coach Declan Kidney, his colleagues, the fans and to Sale Sharks, that he is ready to take the big step up from under 21 rugby.

A constant thorn in Leinster's side, O'Leary's sweet pass set up a lovely fourth try for John Kelly, but it was his industrious work at the base of the scrum and around the pitch that captured the imagination.

But he played down his role: "A lot of things went my way, but the guys around me contributed hugely to that."

While Leinster coach Michael Cheika was clearly displeased with his side's display, he did not deny that the better team won.

"You have to give Munster credit for the way they played and for the way they took their chances," he said.

Munster coach Declan Kidney, a few months after his departure from Donnybrook, kept a firm lid on his feelings. One couldn't obviously miss the feeling of contentment, but he was not about to rub it in.

"It was great to get five tries and I was delighted with the way we attacked the game looking for scores. Things went well for us, we got the breaks, but you felt that Leinster had a few chances as well.

"The game is such nowadays that this result could be turned around when we go to play them in Dublin.

"We're going to enjoy the moment, be happy with the win, but we now have to look forward to our next match."

That, of course, is the Heineken Cup clash with Sale on Friday week, and Kidney has a lot on his plate in the build-up to that one.

Happily, the injury situation is not critical, though the list would appear to be long. Anthony Horgan and Paul O'Connell have some chance of making it; O'Connell will have his hand injury extensively examined later this week, while Horgan is back running.

John Hayes and Trevor Halstead, both ruled out before yesterday's game, should be fit for training in midweek, and there are no serious worries about Ronan O'Gara, Anthon Pitout, John Kelly or Barry Murphy, who all sustained knocks yesterday.

Reggie Corrigan, the Leinster and Irish prop, helped Munster's cause by over-reacting at a scrum and earning a yellow card just before the break.

Munster struck quickly in the second half while he was out. O'Driscoll grabbed a try, the product of sensational work by Quinlan, and O'Gara converted to put Munster in front for the first time at 12-9. Leamy went for another try quickly and the out-half again converted.

Munster lost composure for a little while and allowed Leinster do what they do best - run the ball from broken play. It could have gone wrong but Kelly settled any nerves with a try O'Gara converted to make it 26-9. The out-half had the last say when Shaun Payne put him in near the posts and the conversion stretched the Munster margin to 24 points.

MUNSTER: S. Payne, J. Kelly, B. Murphy, G. Connolly, A. Pitout, R. O'Gara, T. O'Leary, M. Horan, F. Sheahan, F. Puciariello, D. O'Callaghan, M. O'Driscoll, A. Quinlan, A. Foley (captain), D. Leamy.

Replacements. I. Dowling for Pitout (65, injured), D. Wallace for Foley (68), P. Burke for O'Gara (74), F. Murphy for Kelly, T. Hogan for Murphy (injured), F. Roche for Puciariello and J. Flannery for Sheahan (all 76).

LEINSTER: G. Dempsey, D. Hickie, G. D'Arcy, F. Contepomi (captain), S. Horgan, C. Warner, B. O'Meara, R. Corrigan, B. Jackman, W. Green, B. Williams, B. Gissing, E. Miller, J. Heaslip, K. Gleeson. Replacements. D. Blaney for Jackman (14, injured), R. McCormack for Heaslip (42, injured), C. Potts for Miller (47), R. Kearney for Warner (53), D. Dillon for Williams (72), B. O'Riordan for O'Meara (73).

Referee: S. McDowell (Ulster).