Munster in red-hot form as they sink weakened Ulster
THIS was a perfect night on so many fronts for Munster as they scored a record win over Ulster. They needed a response after their collapse in Cardiff last weekend. They had the bonus point in the bag by the 38th minute and with Conor Murray’s immediate future uncertain, former All Black Alby Mathewson crowned his Munster debut with a superb display.
And Joey Carbery’s first try at Thomond Park also put the icing on another magnificent display by the out-half and he was given a standing ovation when he departed after 65 minutes. Joe Schmidt, watching in the stands with skills coach Richie Murphy, will have been suitably impressed.
The nine tries to one win surpasses Munster’s previous record win over Ulster, a 42-6 victory in 2007-08.
Ulster, having fielded a weakened team, knew their unbeaten start to the season was unlikely to survive in Thomond Park against a Munster side badly in need of making a statement.
They were helped in their quest by some woeful Ulster tackling.
It leaves Munster, with three homes win from three, in decent fettle heading to the Aviva Stadium for a crack off Leinster next weekend before turning their attention to the Champions Cup.
And while the manner of the win was decisive, Johann van Graan will be the first to drill home to his men that the quality of the opposition was well off the mark on this occasion.
It was obvious Munster were fired-up from the start and they hit the front in the fifth minute when Dan Goggin had a kick blocked down by Darren Cave in midfield, but the ball ricocheted to Andrew Conway. His delayed pass gave Alex Wootton space and he cut inside from the left superbly to put Goggin through to score under the posts.
Wootton was a late replacement for full-back Mike Haley who was injured in the warm-up and he looked sharp in his first game since the ill-fated Champions Cup semi-final loss to Racing 92.
Carbery converted and Munster went further in front in the ninth minute when Cave missed a tackle on Tommy O’Donnell and the flanker raced through to score, with Carbery converting.
Mathewson showed how comfortable he was in his new surroundings by flinging an audacious lengthy American Football style lineout to Rory Scannell, much to the delight of the home support in the crowd of 13,907.
Carbery pushed Munster 17-0 up after Peter O’Mahony forced Andrew Warwick to hold on, and the ball was brought forward after some protestations from the Ulster players to make it an easier placekick for the former Leinster man.
Ireland lock Iain Henderson exited the field for a HIA in the 20th minute before Billy Burns put two kickable penalties into the corner but Ulster were unable to get across.
Munster got their third try nine minutes before half-time when
Billy Holland claimed the lineout after a scrum penalty and O’Donnell appeared on the end of the move to score his 19th try for his native province.
Goggin, who had only scored one try in his previous 24 appearances, got his second of the night when he dived over unopposed following a Carbery pass. The Munster out-half gave his side a massive 29-0 lead at the break.
Darren Cave pulled back a try seven minutes after the restart but Peter O’Mahony’s 13th Munster try cancelled that after another fine looping pass from Carbery.
Munster turned the screw after that with Carbery racing through after being set up by Wootton, then Sammy Arnold crossed after Wootton was taken out by John Andrew, who was binned, and Keith Earls got their eighth try in his first outing of the season.
And it was more than appropriate that it was Wootton who got Munster’s final try, their ninth, in the left corner two minutes from time.
MUNSTER: A Conway; K Earls, D Goggin, R Scannell (S Arnold 64), A Wootton; J Carbery (I Keatley 66), A Mathewson (D Williams 52); D Kilcoyne (J Cronin 52), N Scannell (K O’Byrne 64), S Archer (C Parker 64); T Beirne (J Kleyn 59), B Holland; P O’Mahony, T O’Donnell (A Botha 64), CJ Stander.
Scorers – Tries: D Goggin (2), T O’Donnell (2). P O’Mahony, J Carbery, S Arnold, K Earls, A Wootton. Cons: J Carbery (5, one penalty). Cons: I Keatley (3).
ULSTER: P Nelson, C Gilroy, D Cave, A Curtis, A Kernohan; B Burns (J Hume 66), J Cooney (D Shanahan 34, blood); A Warwick (E O’Sullivan 64), A McBurney (J Andrew 66), R Kane (T O’Toole 40); A O’Connor, I Henderson (K Treadwell 20, HIA); M Rea, N Timoney, J Deysel (McBurney 74, Andrew 79). Scorers – Try: D Cave. Con: B Burns. Referee: Dan Jones (Wales).