Celtic League: Muster 45 The Borders 8: Outhalf Paul Burke gave another immaculate kicking display to help an ultra-focused Munster XV to a comprehensive victory last night over the Celtic League's basement boys in arctic conditions at Musgrave Park.
Alan Gaffney's so-called "reserves" made it eight wins on the trot between European and Celtic League competitions, but it was the manner in which they crushed the Borders that will please the Australian coach.
For Borders, this has been a traumatic week, which has the "for sale" sign hanging over its future and, after arriving late into Cork, the team had to rush to the Musgrave Park ground.
Former Newcastle Falcon's coach Steve Bates bemoaned the loss of international players and injuries as the league's whipping boys had to dig deep into their resources, with coach Steve Bates calling up some club players.
Munster, going for their sixth successive Celtic League win, had former rugby league star Paul Devlin on the wing for the injured Anthony Horgan, and, with leading try-scorer Christian Cullen earning a well-deserved break, Shaun Payne occupied the number 15 position.
Munster went 10 points ahead after six minutes with Shaun Payne racing in for Munster's opener after two minutes and further tries followed in the 18th and 22nd minutes from Tom Bowman and Stephen Keogh.
With Burke masterminding the Borders' downfall behind a cohesive scrum, Munster raced into a comprehensive half-time lead when lock Trevor Hogan posted Munster's fourth try, and - with the outhalf kicking another sublime conversion from the touchline - Munster lead 31-3.
Munster pushed further ahead after the interval when Henderson touched down and, though Borders' Charlie Hore broke through in the 56th minute, Munster were never going to succumb to a tired Borders side.
Munster's sixth duly arrived in the 69th minute when Martin McPhail burst through a timid defence to cap off a superb all-round display from the Irish side.
SCORERS - Munster: Tries: Payne, Bowman, Keogh, T Hogan, Henderson, McPhail. Cons: Burke 6. Pens: Burke. Borders: Tries: Hore. Pens: Warnock.
MUNSTER: S Payne; M Lawler, M Mullins, R Henderson, P Devlin; F Roche, J Blaney, G McIlwham; T Hogan, T Bowman; S Keogh, A Quinlan, J Williams. Replacements: J Holland for Henderson (14-21); T Hayes for Hogan (47); J O'Connor for Williams (63); M McPhail for Lawler (66); D Fogarty for Blaney (70); M Storey for McIlwham (71); Holland for Henderson (74).
BORDERS: G Morgan; S Moffat, C McRae, C Hore, J Steel; A Warnock, A Moore; P Thomson, R Ford, T McGee; M Blair, C Stewarrt; S Gray, W McEntee, K Brown. Replacements: J King for Hore (23-28); A Rennick for Stewart and J Weston for Moore (both half-time); G Cross for Thomson (60 inj); A Miller for McEntee (62); J King for Warnock (55).
Referee: N Ballard (WRU).
