Connolly adds to Munster firepower

Connacht 19 Munster 44

The game saw a five-star individual performance from Rugby League signing Gary Connolly and a five-try haul.

The victory keeps them at the top of the Celtic League just three weeks in advance of a Heineken Cup clash with Sale, the result of which could define their season.

If Munster aren't quite yet where coach Declan Kidney wants them to be, the game did provide him with some positives, amongst them the delight that 11th-hour signing Connolly, the former Great Britain player, could be up to a European challenge.

Connolly scored two tries on his debut and showed a number of nice touches. The performance led Kidney to remark: "He did OK for a guy who had only about 30 minutes training with the guys before the match."

On the long term prospects of Connolly nailing down a place, Kidney knows it's way too early to be drawn, but he did make an observation: "We know we have good players who can play in that position, but we'll have to wait and see. I can't tell you everything in one day, but I think he showed just the type of professional he is and all credit to him for that."

Connolly could hardly have asked for a better start to his four-month contract. "It's always great to score tries, but full credit to the team for a very good, positive performance."

The offer to play came out of the blue, but Connolly enthused; "as soon as they spoke to me I knew I wanted to come over here. You don't turn down a chance to play for a team like Munster. I'm happy with the short term and conscious that I need to prove myself in this code and at this level."

Connolly played a huge role in the build up to the first try before finishing off himself, and then made himself some space to race in at the corner for the second.

But it was tries by forwards Frankie Sheahan and Marcus Horan that totally turned this game in Munster's favour.

While Connacht coach Michael Bradley had all but accepted it would be a bad day at the office at half-time, the killer blows came in a two-minute spell at the start of the second half.

Connacht had trailed by a point at the break, with David Slemen and Paul Warwick each kicking two penalties to reply to Connolly's first try, a conversion and two penalties from the flawless Ronan O'Gara.

With Connacht reduced to seven forwards - Matt Lacey was shown the yellow card just before the break - their defence wilted under the strain of a driving maul and Sheahan dived in. O'Gara converted.

Straight away, Anthony Foley pounced when Connacht failed to re-start the required ten metres. He drove forward, found Peter Stringer who sent the pacey Horan racing 30 metres up the right touchline for a try that O'Gara converted to give Munster a 27-12 lead.

O'Gara kept racking up the scores with a penalty and the extra points to Connolly's second try before Connacht scored a Conor McPhillips try that Warwick converted.

Connacht never looked like staging a meaningful comeback. Instead, they conceded a fifth try to Pucciariello in injury time, and Burke knocked over the difficult conversion.

As the big European days close in, Kidney is conscious that there's room for further improvement.

"It's a question of getting our structures right for that. We got some of them, not all, right against Connacht. Hopefully we'll go all the way before the European challenge."

CONNACHT: M. Mostyn, K. Matthews, D. Yapp, D. Downey, C. McPhillips, D. Slemen, C. Keane, R. Hogan, J. Fogarty, S. Knoop, A. Gallagher, A. Farley (captain), J. Muldoon, C. Rigney, M. Lacey. Replacements. P. Warwick for Slemen (27), D. McFarland for Hogan (56), C. Short for Farley, C. Venter for Fogarty (both 64), C. O'Loughlan for Keane 967).

MUNSTER: B. Murphy, J. Kelly, G. Connolly, T. Halstead, I. Dowling, R. O'Gara, P. Stringer, M. Horan, F. Sheahan, J. hayes, D. O'Callaghan, M. O'Driscoll, S. Keogh, A. Foley (captain), D. Leamy. Replacements. T. O'Leary for Dowling (48), J. Flannery for Sheahan, T. Hogan for O'Callaghan (both 67), F. Pucciariello for Hayes (71), P. Burke for O'Gara (76), R. Henderson for Connolly (78).

Referee: D. Keane (Leinster).