RUGBY/Celtic League - Connacht 0 Munster 3: A filthy, almost famous night by the Shannon. Munster, the celebrated travelling roadshow of European rugby turned up for an early New Year's battle against the forgotten province and came away knowing all about it.
"I'll take a three-love win," beamed Alan Gaffney afterwards. And he meant it. The skies may be bluer and the day fresher in Gloucester next weekend but the rawness of their Athlone experience will stand to Munster then.
Connacht rattled all Christmas drowsiness out of their famous opponents and as late as the 79th minute were hurling themselves against the red line that was trapped inside the 10-metre line, defying gale storms, time and logic as they sought an unlikely and ultimately impossible late win.
Munster, canny old survivors that they are, probed and pushed until they finally twisted Connacht for a penalty that Ronan O'Gara could handle and with the score notched up, they stood resolute.
When Damien Browne bravely took the ball into contact, first the excellent Donncha O'Callaghan and then Paul O'Connell and Jim Williams fell upon him. In the rain it might have been Macbeth's three witches hunkering over the boiling pot. Munster came away with the ball and soon afterwards the result.
"Cold and wet," grinned Connacht coach Michael Bradley when asked what he thought of it all. "No, it was an excellent game of rugby in the sense that it was so tough - it was not a game made for the meek of mind or body. Not a lot of rugby in it - we had a couple of chances in the first half and in the second, Munster could certainly have put up a score. But I am proud of the way we stood up out there. It was a bit like Ali and Frazier, the odd puck thrown and the rest was huffing and puffing. But we went toe to toe."
Critically, Connacht failed to land a score in the first half when they had Munster penned back for significant periods. Eric Elwood screwed a penalty from 30 metres wide on six minutes and narrowly missed on the same side after 38 minutes. After half-time Connacht did not even get a shot at goal.
It was scant reward for heroic defence. If Eddie O'Sullivan was watching, he will have seen Bernard Jackman nail the two best tackles of the night in the same phase of play, devouring the sniping Peter Stringer as he burst for the line on 23 minutes and then recovering to bundle Marcus Horan into touch immediately afterwards.
Jackman was again immense for Connacht. And although Christian Cullen may or may not have been shivering his way through proceedings, Mark McHugh was the best full back last night. He shone along with Connacht's number eight John O'Sullivan, who made two fine charge downs and took the ball off the base and into O'Gara's flight path at every opportunity. But crucially the Irish outhalf did not let him break into open space.
Dominating possession after the break, Munster patiently elected to work the ball along Connacht's touchline through the boot of O'Gara. And although they tried to move the ball deep into Connacht's 22, the home tackling was ferocious, with Elwood, Dan McFarland and Jackman leading relentless, full-bloodied hits. When Alain Rolland eventually whistled Connacht for an infringement, Elwood was furious. Munster wisely had O'Gara chip the 22-metre penalty over the bar. It was enough.
It was vocally noted by the home punters that Munster came out for the second half with freshly laundered shirts while Connacht, the poor man of Europe, returned in the same sodden shirts. Still, they wore them with no little pride.
When all was done the game served as a resounding reminder of what Munster are about. It can't all be glory days in Europe. Last night they squeezed out a win in a manner that speaks everything about their character.
"We kicked a bit too much and made mistakes," reasoned Gaffney, "but it was a hell of a battle up front. Against Connacht you expect a dogfight and that's what it was."
SCORE: 67 mins: O'Gara penalty.
MUNSTER: S Payne; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, C McIlwham; P O'Connell, D O'Callaghan; J Williams, D Wallace; A Foley.
CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt, C McPhillips; E Elwood, M Walls; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke; D Browne, A Farley; M Swift, P Neville; J O'Sullivan. Replacements: T Robinson for D Yapp ( 58 mins), M Lacey for P Neville (28 mins)
Referee: A Rolland.
