Munster complete an unlikely comeback

Celtic League/ Ulster 21 Munster 24: A flawed second half performance cost Ulster dearly as understrength Munster prized an unlikely Magners Celtic victory from Ravenhill last night.

Leading for most of the match following a swashbuckling first half display, Ulster badly let the game trickle through their fingers and with it much-needed points. To Munster's credit they hung in and snatched the match at the end. But Ulster's losing bonus point puts them on equal points with Leinster

"We just dug in there and it shows you if you do stay in there then you never know what is going to come your way at the end of it," said coach Declan Kidney afterwards. Ulster's lop-sided display against a team riddled with injury and virtually unrecognisable from the team that won the European Cup last year ends their unbeaten 13-match run in Belfast.

Dominant Ulster began with 13 international players compared to Munster's five and the visitors contingent included rugby league convert, Brian Carey on the right wing. Indeed Carey's surprise inclusion was perhaps indicative of coach Declan Kidney's extensive injury list. The 30-year-old hadn't played a competitive rugby union match in Ireland since he lined out with Lansdowne nine years ago.

His baptism of fire included him having to watch a try-saving tackle from Christian Cullen on Tommy Bowe after nine minutes followed quickly by Paul Steinmetz taking a popped ball from Andrew Trimble and exploding straight through the centre of the Munster defence for the first try of the match.

For Carey and the rest of the Munster side, that was a taste of the things to come in the opening 25-minute blitz. Munster struggled to put backline moves together while the Ulster pack dominated, supplying their own back line with plenty of quality material.

Shortly after Steinmetz had cut the Munster midfield defence, Roger Wilson bludgeoned them. A lineout deep in the Munster 22 on 21 minutes and a determined Ulster drive saw the number eight score in the corner.

There was little reaction from the visitors. Eoghan Hickey opened their account a few minutes later from his first penalty for 14-3 but that proved a temporary respite. Ulster were soon sweeping forward again, David Humphreys repeatedly foregoing penalties for field position as they sensed their opponents' frailty.

On 26 minutes another home attack was generated from the halfway line and this time it was Trimble the receiver, not the delivery man. His burst through the midfield and in for Ulster's third try was, like Steinmetz's first effort, a little too easy for Munster's comfort and when Humphreys converted for 21-3, it looked distinctly gloomy for the visitors.

Half-time arrived and Munster could well have been thanking their luck that the deficit was not higher. After the break Ulster continued to show their intentions and again Humphreys kicked to touch when a penalty was on as the home side sought a bonus point.

It was then that Ulster's lapse cost them dearly. Pressing in the Munster 22, Munster broke out. Tomas O'Leary took it on, fed Hickey, who then found Trevor Halstead. The South African's momentum and strength just took him over by the posts for Hickey to convert and close the gap to 11 points.

That appeared to galvanise Ulster once more but again their sustained pressure was punctured by a try against the run of play, this time from John O'Sullivan. Jeremy Manning converted for 21-17 and from down and out Munster were back in the match. It was hard to believe this was the feared Ravenhill and far from controlling the match Ulster allowed it to become open and lose.

The last ten minutes saw Ulster desperately defending their line and when Alan Quinlan kicked cross-field the ball bounced unkindly for Jerry Flannery but kindly for Carney and it was the winger who pounced. Manning converted for 21-24 with just minutes remaining. Ulster had nothing nothing left to give and the few boos at the end from the crowd summing up their disappointment.

Scoring sequence: 10 mins- P Steinmetz try, Humphreys con 7-0; 21- R Wilson try, Humphreys con 14-0; 26- E Hickey pen 14-3; 26- A Trimble try, Humphreys con 21-3. Halftime. 46- T Halstead try, E Hickey con 21-10; 66- J O'Sullivan try, J Manning con 21-17. 76- B Carney try, Manning con 21-24.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, A Trimble, P Wallace, P Steinmetz; D Humphreys, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, R Best, B Young, J Harrison capt, R Caldwell, S Ferris, K Dawson, R Wilson. Replacements: 47 mins P McKenzie for Steinmetz; 58 mins D Fitzpatrick for J Fitzpatrick; 63 mins T Barker for Cauldwell; 64 mins A Maxwell for D Humphreys.

MUNSTER: C Cullen; B Carney, M Lifeimi, T Halstead, I Dowling; E Hickey, T O'Leary; E McGovern, J Flannery, T Buckley, S O'Connor, D Ryan, A Quinlan capt, T McGann, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: 57 mins M Melbourne for McGann; 58 mins J Manning for E Hickey.

Referee: A Rolland(IRFU).