Munster fortress crumbles to Leinster

CORK’S reputation as a Munster rugby fortress crumbled last night as Leinster ended their 22-year hoodoo on Rebel territory.

For the first time since 1985 the “ladyboys” of Leinster came to Cork and beat Munster, stuffing their foes 10-3 and claiming bragging rights.

Last night’s clash was reckoned to be all about settling dressing-room scores from Ireland’s dismal Rugby World Cup campaign this summer.

And at Musgrave Park the Munster team were shown up as the weakest link although, Ireland’s top two could only manage one try between them — from Leinster winger Shane Horgan.

Talk in the crowd before kick-off was about splits in the Ireland dressing-room during the World Cup and how these scuppered the nation’s chances in France.

“But in the end it didn’t matter because tonight’s game was so bad,” said one fan after last night’s rain-sodden clash.

By half-time the scores in the televised Magners League clash were level on 3-3, a reflection on the inability of Ireland’s finest offensive talents to get points on the scoreboard at domestic or international level.

In the end it was left up to Leinster’s Shane Horgan to break the monotony of a game in which no one was willing or able to score a try. Munster’s stand-in captain Ronan O’Gara missed three penalty kicks out of four attempts while Leinster lost captain Brian O’Driscoll to a leg injury after half-an-hour, summing up the luck of the national side.

The final whistle saw Leinster go top of the Magners League with a well-earned 10-3 victory — but questions will remain over the players in both teams.