AN EXCELLENT second-half performance, characterised by a rampant show from the Munster pack, ensured a comprehensive victory for the home side at Musgrave Park last night. Quite apart from propelling them virtually out of sight in this season's Guinness interprovincial championship, it guaranteed Munster a place in next season's European Cup.
Munster's second half transformation, abetted by a strong wind, was due in large part to an outstanding performance up front in which the back row trio of Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley and David Wallace excelled. They simply drove through the heart of the Ulster pack time after time, forcing the concession of a litany of penalties: crucially for the home side out-half Ronan O'Gara responded superbly, kicking eight penalties and a conversion for a haul of 26 points.
Right wing John O'Neill and centre Mike Mullins - he had an outstanding game - contributed two tries. The match itself was littered with the intrusive whistling of referee Murray Whyte who struggled to stamp out the constant illegal spoiling.
Ulster in the second spell failed to sustain the commitment up front they had demonstrated in the first half and as a result found the pressure increasingly hard to bear.
Munster, playing into a strong wind that swept down from the Sunday's Well end, sensibly looked to keep the ball in hand, Keith Wood and Alan Quinlan willing and effective ball carriers. Transferring the ball before the tackle enabled the home side to make huge inroads. When the visitors managed to regroup and slow down possession at the source, Munster appeared ponderous and predictable behind the scrum with the obvious exception of Mike Mullins whose strength and ability to exploit a modicum of space stretched Ulster. The home side could never quite convert decent approach play, a product of some cynical Ulster defence and their own shortcomings.
The northern province, despite a meagre amount of ball, looked more precise, epitomised by their first half try from right wing James Topping on nine minutes. A long skip pass by David Humphreys allowed Riaz Fredericks to drift outside Killian Keane and he sent Spencer Bromley, looping from the blindside wing, careering away. He then drew Dominic Crotty and sent Topping away for a beautifully worked score.
The remainder of the first half was dominated by the respective boots of Simon Mason - he also made a try-saving tackle on John O'Neill - and O'Gara. Ulster had a 16-12 ahead at the break, although their slender advantage never looked sufficient given the wind. So it proved.
For Irish manager Donal Lenihan, who was watching with great interest, O'Gara's performance coupled with those of Mullins, Wallace, Quinlan, Foley and Ulster number eight Tony McWhirter were the more positive aspects on a night when several players looked to be suffering from a World Cup hangover.
