Super Munster scorch to final

Munster 42 Ulster 10

The side produced a first half performance of high quality and considerable skill that overwhelmed an admittedly seriously handicapped Ulster side. It was 28-3 at half time, 42-10 including five tries at the finish, a record scoreline that bettered the 36-11 in Munster's favour at Musgrave Park in the mid-nineties.

The stage was set on a cold but otherwise perfect evening for a big Munster performance. They didn't disappoint, demonstrating once again just how difficult they are to beat at Thomond Park where such a thing hasn't happened since Leinster won an interprovincial game there in 1995.

In the end, Munster, 2/7 favourites, justified those odds with a display that sometimes reminded one of the halcyon days of the Declan Kidney era. New coach Alan Gaffney, watching from his eyrie high in the stand, must have been thrilled at what he was witnessing.

There were drawbacks, not least the latest hamstring injury to Anthony Horgan which puts his immediate future in doubt while the red carding of Ulster prop Justin Fitzpatrick after only nine minutes caused some to question the true merit of the Munster performance. The dismissal of Fitzpatrick came after the second and most serious of two punching matches between large groups of players from each side.

Fitzpatrick was very much the architect of his own downfall in that he threw two punches after the fisticuffs had ended. O'Callaghan was shown the yellow card for his part in the fighting. Nor should it be forgotten that Mr Watkins issued a general warning to the two captains after the first incident.

Everything seemed to click delightfully into place in every sector up front and individually, too, they were infinitely better served. Ronan O'Gara won his head to head with David Humphreys hands down, hardly ever putting a foot wrong as he prospered at the end of an impeccable service from Peter Stringer.

Two penalties by O'Gara against one by Humphreys had Munster 6-3 ahead before Fitzpatrick was sent off. After that, it was a cakewalk and nobody enjoyed it more than the sell-out crowd of 13, 000 who cheered two great tries in the space of a couple of minutes midway through the first half.

John Hayes used his physique and strength to force his way over in the right corner after Alan Quinlan and Jason Holland had played influential roles in the build-up. Almost immediately, Quinlan himself crashed over when O'Connell charged out of his own 22, the movement was carried on by Jim Williams and Anthony Foley and Munster's third of the half followed on 39 minutes when John Kelly broke clear on the blindside of a halfway line ruck and dummied and weaved his way to the line.

O'Gara, who had converted the other scores and landed a third penalty, missed this time but at 28-3 at the interval, Munster's place in the final against Neath or Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium on March 1st was already assured.

Ulster forced four penalties close to the Munster posts early in the second half. They went for the seven pointer each time but their best efforts were withheld, something else that will have hugely pleased Alan Gaffney. Jim Williams and his men proved they could defend as well as attack even if they did lose Frankie Sheahan to the sin bin for killing the ball near his own posts.

Munster raised the siege and a Holland break saw Mullins spin out of a tackle and sprint between the posts for try number four converted by O'Gara. Mick Galwey entered the fray on 65 minutes to a huge roar before Quinlan became the third Munsterman to see yellow and while he was off the field, Humphreys got over at the posts and converted himself.

But the best wine was kept to last as Galwey plunged over in the corner and substitute Killian Keane converted. The rout was complete and it was now a case of Roll On Perpignan.

MUNSTER J. Staunton; J. Kelly, M. Mullins, J. Holland, A. Horgan; R. O'Gara, P. Stringer; M. Horan, F. Sheahan, J. Hayes, P. O'Connell, D. O'Callaghan, J. Williams capt, A. Quinlan, A. Foley. Replacements, M. Lawler for Horgan 26 mins; J. Blaney for Quinlan temporary, 48-56 mins. M. Galwey for O'Connell 63; D. Leamy for Quinlan 75; K. Keane for O'Gara 76; M. Cahill for Horan and M. Prendergast for Mullins both 82. Yellow cards, O'Callaghan, Sheahan and Quinlan.

ULSTER B. Cunningham; J. Topping, S. Stewart, A. Larkin, S. Coulter; D. Humphreys capt, N. Doak; J. Fitzpatrick, M. Sexton, R. Kempson, G. Longwell, J. Davidson, W. Brosnihan, N. McMillan, T. McWhirter. Replacements: S. Best for McMillan 16; J. Cunningham for Larkin 3; A. Ward for McWhirter and S. Young for B. Cunningham, both 52. P. Shields for Sexton 66; K. Campbell for Doak 77. Red card, Fitzpatrick.

Referee: H. Watkins (Wales).