McGahan refusing to panic

FOR several weeks it’s been apparent all is not well with Munster.

The doubts after the two below-par performances in Europe against Clermont Auvergne followed by the Magners League defeat to Connacht should have sounded the alarm bells ahead of Ulster’s visit to Thomond Park on Saturday.

However, nothing could have prepared the 20,000-plus Munster supporters who defied the biting cold for the 37-11 hiding dished out by the inspired visitors, who played with magnificent spirit and commitment but hardly with the kind of style and power that gave them to such a comprehensive winning margin.

Understandably, Munster coach Tony McGahan refused to press the panic button: “We haven’t become a bad side overnight. We had a kick in the backside last week and another one this week. We are working as hard as we can. The players are working hard. They are a very proud bunch.”

Certainly, the teams fielded against Connacht and Ulster failed to gel and McGahan faces inevitable criticism. However, the guidelines governing the national side ahead of the Six Nations played a major part in both selections.

Still, this squad wouldn’t be human if their self-belief wasn’t dented and that doesn’t augur well for the top of the table Magners League clash with the Ospreys in Swansea on Friday and more significantly, the Heineken Cup visit of Sale Sharks to Thomond Park a week later.

“Confidence is one of those things,” McGahan mused, “you don’t know where it goes and you don’t know where it comes from. What we need to do is galvanise, work hard and we will get there.”

One of the major tasks facing the coaching staff is the restoration of morale after two demoralising defeats. Rarely in the professional era, has a Munster side looked so disjointed in every phase of the game. The scrum creaked, the line-out was, at best, an uncertain source of possession and there was little sign of the fire traditionally associated with the province.

Apart from their one try, touched down by Doug Howlett, after a clever and precise cross kick by Paul Warwick, they never looked like threatening the Ulster line. As McGahan’s counterpart, Matt Williams, pointed out in his justifiable praise of his side’s defence, “they couldn’t go through us so they had to go over us.”

Ulster led 32-6 when Howlett dotted down and the game by then was over as a meaningful contest.

The visitors made hay on a plethora of Munster errors. True, their first try in the eighth minute should not have been awarded as referee Alan Lewis, although perfectly positioned, failed to spot a forward pass in the build-up to Paddy Wallace’s touch down.

Ian Humphreys thumped over the conversion to lay the foundations for a superb all-round performance that left everyone wondering why he hasn’t been Ulster’s regular number ten and heir apparent to the jersey on the Irish team.

As Ulster warmed to their task, things went from bad to worse for Munster. Ronan O’Gara departed with a hamstring twinge after 14 minutes to be followed on the stroke of half-time by Rua Tipoki. Their injuries will be assessed today but both are doubtful for the visit to the Liberty Stadium.

In contrast, Humphreys and Ulster could do no wrong. Darren Cave, Mark McCrea, Tom Court and Andrew Trimble ran in tries at regular intervals, the out-half knocked over his goals and they didn’t look in the slightest bit of trouble, even when reduced to 13 players for a spell in the second-half.

Whereas Matt Williams sang the praises of Humphreys (while insisting that he mustn’t be pushed too far in the context of the Irish team), Darren Cave, Ed O’Donoghue and Kieron Dawson, McGahan was left to search in vain for the positives.

“This group has been around for a long time,” the Munster coach pointed out. “They certainly know how to win and they certainly know how to lift themselves.”

Having been eclipsed at the top of the Magners table by Ospreys with Leinster breathing down their necks and with the vital game against Sale Sharks looming ever closer, they are going to have to do so rather quickly.

MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, K Lewis; R O’Gara (capt), P Stringer; F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; D Ryan, N Ronan, N Williams.

Replacements: P Warwick for O’Gara, 14; B Murphy for Tipoki, 40; A Quinlan for Ryan, 55; T Ryan for Pucciariello, 60; J Coughlan for Williams, 60; D Fogarty for Coughlan, 72.

ULSTER: C Schifcoske; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, T Nagusa; I Humphreys, I Boss; T Court, N Brady, BJ Botha; M McCullough, E O’Donoghue; S Ferris, K Dawson, (capt), R Diack.

Replacements: M McCrea for Nagusa, 13; F Paulo for McCullough, 57; J Fitzpatrick for Best, 61; R Best for Brady, 68; P Marshall for Boss, 75.

Referee: Alan Lewis (Leinster).