Munster 36 Ospreys 10:IT WAS more of a ceremonial occasion rather than a competitive one at Thomond Park last night as Munster duly picked up the Magners League title for the first time in six seasons.

But the champions turned in a five-star performance in scoring five tries, with departing Lion David Wallace getting one in each half and then picked up a sin-binning on a night of several standing ovations for the Munster Lions an others who were playing their last games for the province.

Indeed, Anthony Horgan was on the field for only two minutes when he scampered in for Munster’s fifth try on a night when both sides emptied their benches late on.

Munster started with four Lions on duty and Ospreys left theirs at home for a game in which only pride was at stake for both.

And it lacked atmosphere early on for the respectable crowd suffering from a hangover after Munster’s Heineken Cup exit at the hands of Leinster.

Munster could not have made a better start, with Ronan O’Gara landing a penalty after only five minutes when Ospreys strayed offside.

Having missed from five metres inside the right touchline after 10 minutes James Hook was on target to level three minutes later.

In the style of champions Munster hit back immediately. First O’Gara grubber-kicked for Keith Earls to chase but he slipped when he looked like winning the race. But straight from the Ospreys drop out several Munster players were involved in a flowing move which this time saw Paul Warwick sprint in between two defenders and speed in from 30 metres for a try that O’Gara converted.

Ospreys created two try-scoring chances in as many minutes but a knock-on spoilt the effort from Filo Tiatia’s good burst.

But just to show they were not intent on making up the numbers Ospreys grabbed a try. They won their own lineout and when the ball reached Hook he floated between a handful of red shirts to touch down beside the posts and then tapped over the conversion.

Three minutes from half-time Munster struck for their second try. Again a chip by O’Gara forced the Ospreys to bring the ball over their own line. From a scrum Wallace barged over to have Munster 15-10 in front at the interval.

And to the delight of their strangely subdued supporters Munster picked up the pace on the resumption and inside nine minutes Denis Leamy barged in for another try, which O’Gara converted and three minutes later a great break by Peter Stringer brought another try. The scrumhalf was involved a second time and three others handled down the right before Wallace popped up on the touchline line and then touched down for O’Gara to again convert.

Worse followed the visitors when right wing Ashley Beck knocked on going over the line after giving Stringer the slip.

Horgan’s try rounded off a great night for Munster.

MUNSTER: P Warwick, D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O’Gara, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, D Fogarty, T Buckley; M O’Driscoll, P O’Connell; D Leamy, N Ronan, D Wallace. Replacements: D O’Callaghan for O’Connell (64 mins), D Ryan for Pucciariello (63 mins), F Sheahan for Fogarty (73 mins), A Horgan for Dowling, K Lewis for Earls (both 74 mins), M Prendergast for Stringer (78 mins).

OSPREYS: G Owen, A Beck, S Parker, J Spratt, D Ecans; J Hook, J Nutbrown; P James, R Hibbard, C Griffiths, I Gough, A Lloyd; R Jones, M Holiah, F Tiatia. Replacements: D Jones for James (53 mins), R Wells for Owen (58 mins), C Mitchell for Griffiths (64 mins), S Tandy for Gough (69 mins).

Referee: P Allan, Scotland.