Apologies to my Munster mates for not getting this one up sooner, it’s not that I was huffing due to getting yet another prediction wrong but rather that I’ve been having bother with the galleries and photo’s in general all weekend – plus of course I had to fit in my favourite night of the year, the Ulster Women’s Awards.
I don’t know how many times I’ve written off Munster this season and once again, like an gnarly old mongrel, they’ve risen up and bit me on the arse with this power packed performance. More surprising than anything really is that they actually played the better rugby throughout the game.
It was a game too far for Leinster with several of their players looking jaded after last weekend and, the under fire bogmen just wanted it more, with Munster so pumped that they gave Leinster no time or space to breathe, let alone execute their flowing moves.
Munster’s cause was helped by a return to form of Mafi and Howlett, who have disappointed this season, and the pair combined for the opening score with Mafi goose-stepping past Reddan to send Howlett over in the corner for the opening try. O’Gara converted.
Munster were definitely on top with O’Connell and man of the match David Wallace both rolling back the years. How Wallace continues to do it I don’t know, but he was the best back row on show giving O’Brien and Heaslip a salutary lesson after their phenomenal year.
However, just as you find yourself admiring the Munster effort they always seem to just take it that step too far, as Cullen and Healy can verify from past encounters. This time the villain was Marcus Horan with a trademark sleekit and cynical assault on O’Driscoll. The buffoon only compounding his despicable act with his histrionics at the breakdown later in the game when he was barged out of the way, going down like he was shot in the head.
Shortly after Horan’s cowardly attack Leinster did manage to land a penalty taking the score at the break to 7 – 3 to Munster.
Leinster upped the tempo at the start of the second half and with two penalties in the opening quarter to take a 7 – 9 lead it looked like they would push on and achieve their remarkable double.
However Munster managed to dig deep, yet again, and barged back to within metres of the Leinster line, with Fitzgerald flattening Howlett just when a try looked on.
Shortly after Munster turned the screw when O’Gara lofted a cross-field kick over to Earls, who avoided Nacewa’s tackle to bounce over the line for a well executed score. O’Gara missed the conversion, and with the score at 12 – 9 my money was still on Leinster as the game went into the last quarter.
However, back in front, Munster controlled the remainder of the game being awarded a penalty try after a period of pressure inside the Leinster 22 with minutes to go. O’Gara added the extras and, despite Leinster coming close at the end through McLauglin and Hines, that was that.
Final score - Munster 19 Leinster 9
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One Response to “Magners League: Munster 19 Leinster 9”
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I thunk you really under estimated the Munster desire factor . Munster as they say in some parts hate the Ladyboys ” with a passion and with Leinster winning the week before their motivation was well primed.
Then add the absence of D’Arcy in the centre ( Mcfadden in my opinion has yet to prove he can perform on a big stage/occassion) Redden performing below par and BoD taking an early body check the Leinster backline misfired most of the game.
The penalty try was always a possiblity especially late in the second half . I have always said that I fear Cullen is not a scrummager and that the set scrum is the potential Achilles heel of the Leinster game.
Congratulations to both sides for an exciting game which showed the Magners league to be a more enterprising .league than the much over hyped English final played earlier in the afternoon
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