YOUNG MUNSTER'S home ground at Tom Clifford Park has not been the feared fortress for the visiting teams this season that it has been in the past. Nonetheless victory, however narrowly attained on this formidable territory, is always an achievement of consequence.

It is against that background one must judge Lansdowne's victory last Saturday. That win not alone gave Lansdowne the two points that kept the club on the top of the first division table in the Insurance Corporation All Ireland League, but the 42 points was the highest total ever attained by any side against Young Munster in the league, home or away. It was also the most comprehensive defeat inflicted on Young Munster in the league.

Lansdowne's coaching duo, Donal Spring and Paul Clinch, were understandably delighted with the win and the nature of their team's performance. They have every reason to be extremely satisfied on both counts.

"If asked before the match, we would have been very pleased to have got a win by even one point. To come here and win and improve our points difference in such a manner is a tremendous tribute to the team and the manner in which they played," said Clinch.

Lansdowne did the job too, without their scorer in chief, outside half Eric Elwood. Richard Governey took over the role and the place kicking duties and he performed splendidly on both counts. He scored 17 points, revealed a keen football intellect, the perception to use his three quarters very well and made the most of an excellent service from his scrum half partner David O'Mahony, whom I have not seen play a better match.

Then, to complement Governey's productive kicking skills, Lansdowne had in right wing Marcus Dillon a young player who took his chances to score a hat trick of tries in a tremendous spell between the 59th and 75th minutes.

"We got off to a great start," said Spring, "but I was especially pleased with the quality of our play and the way the team took their scoring chances and prevented them from scoring at crucial times. There is still a long way to go, but we have now scored two verb important wins back to back".

Many a visiting side has wilted at this venue in the early stages of matches as they felt and failed to contain the full weight of the Young Munster onslaught. But from the outset, Lansdowne not alone revealed the fortitude to deal with that, but had the quality, resolution and perception, allied to the opportunism to stamp their authority on the match from the early stages.

What was especially impressive and effective was that Lansdowne played into a very strong wind in the initial period. They laid the most solid of foundations in what was the best performance I have seen from any club in the league this season.

Lansdowne built a 20-5 lead by the 25th minute, had it cut back to 20-15 by the interval, then held Young Munster's vigorous challenge in the early stages of the second half without conceding a score. Thereafter they finished the job in style, scoring 22 points in the final 21 minutes.

"Lansdowne played very well, we played well for only the 10 minutes before and to minutes after half time," said Young Munster coach Dan Mooney. "You do not get away with that against opposition of such a nature. We also made a few dreadful defensive errors and got punished for them. We missed the experience of Derek Tobin at scrum hall, and their scrum half had an outstanding match."

There are indeed few more resolute or durable scrum halves around than Tobin - a late withdrawal because of an attack of influenza - but Young Munster's problems went way beyond that.

From the outset the Lansdowne pack took on the opposition, and their rucking, mauling and speed to the loose ball had Young Munster in trouble. With Young Munster forced to kick to touch, the O'Connor brothers, Paul and Stephen, won the ensuing line outs.

It was from a take by Stephen that Lansdowne opened the scoring in the third minute. O'Mahony fed Governey and Kurt McQuilkin carried on the movement. He was halted and Angus McKeen was on hand to gather and dive over the line for a try. Governey converted, Lansdowne led by seven points and had issued their declaration of intent. It never really lost its purpose.

Within four minutes Young Munster replied with a try by Des Clohessy, among their most effective workers, who got over after a pass from Mark Fitzgerald. A fine run by Noel O'Meara almost yielded another try for Young Munster, but Ger Earls could not hold the pass.

But Lansdowne's overall superiority then reflected itself on the scoreboard. Governey kicked a penalty in the 14th minute, and within a minute Lansdowne got a penalty try after Peter Boland obstructed Dillon as he raced for the line in pursuit of the ball. Governey converted that and then dropped a goal that was disallowed after a touch judge intervened and Young Munster got a penalty. But Governey added another penalty and Lansdowne led 20-5 after 25 minutes.

Young Munster had their best spell from this point to the interval, and it yielded a try from Mick Lynch, converted by Aidan O'Halloran, who also kicked a penalty.

Now five points adrift, Young Munster attacked after the break with more industry than effect and Lansdowne held firm. The pack played extremely well as a unit, and yet again the combination of Stephen Rooney, Colin McEntee and Andrew Doyle was a most effective back row.

With 19 minutes of the half gone Dillon got the first of his three tries as Alan Reddan and Declan Fassbener, who did well at full back, combined to put Dillon in. Now 25-15 in front, Lansdowne consolidated their position as Dillon struck twice, taking advantage of poor defending in the first instance. Governey converted both tries and kicked a penalty in the last minute to decorate a fine individual and team performance.