Munster breeze past Cardiff

Munster 49 Cardiff Blues 18

Munster chalked up their third straight league success as Ronan O’Gara and Christian Cullen ran the show in a 49-18 hammering of the Blues at Thomond Park.

Former All Black Cullen grabbed his seventh and eight tries of the season as O’Gara pinged over seven successful kicks in a 19-point performance.

Paul Devlin, who recently switched codes, also touched down on his debut as Alan Gaffney’s side warmed up for the Heineken Cup with five tries.

Gaffney was thankful again for the calming boot of O’Gara, the match-winner in the 28-26 victory over Glasgow, as he steadied the Munster ship against an early Cardiff barrage.

Two Blues tries in the first 13 minutes from Craig Quinnell and Kort Schubert rocked the home side into action. Five first-class O’Gara kicks, including the conversion of Cullen’s first effort, put a gloss on a disappointing first half for Munster, which they edged 19-15.

A quick tap by Zimbabwean Dean Dewdney caught the Munster rearguard flat-footed after only four minutes, and 20-stone Quinnell bulldozed over. O’Gara planted a quick reply through the Blues’ uprights six minutes later, but American Schubert, having charged down Peter Stringer’s clearance, won the race to the touch down ahead of Denis Leamy for 12-7.

Cullen then cemented his reputation as the competition’s leading try scorer. The 28-year-old chased O’Gara’s grubber through to outpace Rhys Williams on 26 minutes. O’Gara’s conversion put Munster 13-12 in front before Lee Thomas edged the visitors back in front on the half-hour but O’Gara’s fourth penalty ensured a home lead at the break.

Within 90 seconds of the restart the Ireland number 10 had pushed the advantage to seven points. Former skipper Jim Williams then added Munster’s second try in a fitful beginning to the second half. The 35-year-old back row fended off the challenge of Blues skipper Martyn Williams to cross on 44 minutes.

A second Thomas penalty kept the Blues in the hunt at 29-18 down, but Munster stretched clear as first substitute Devlin was put over in the right corner by Cullen and the latter notched his second of the night on the hour, winning the race to another O’Gara kick through.

The Kiwi full back capped his man-of-the-match display as he drove over a 68th minute drop goal, and a late Rob Henderson try confirmed Munster’s rise to fourth in the table.