'There is work to be done but it is not all bad'

MUNSTER REACTION: Gavin Cummiskeyhears why Denis Leamy, while hurting a lot from this defeat, wants to focus more on the positives and quickly move on

EARLY IN the third quarter Lifeimi Mafi was sin-binned - the citing commissioner has 48 hours to make a decision whether to take further action - for his second reckless tackle of the evening on Rob Kearney. Gordon D'Arcy's jaw felt the full brunt of an earlier stiff arm.

This presented Leinster with a major opportunity to do damage but, instead, 14-man Munster, in typical fashion, went through the gears with several players contributing to fashion a penalty for Ronan O'Gara, who made it 6-3.

In response, the Joe Schmidt era at Leinster finally sparked to life. Suddenly Brian O'Driscoll was burning Paul Warwick and sending Seán O'Brien into a clearing despite a double hit on the Irish captain by Alan Quinlan and Donnacha Ryan.

Leinster spurned a few opportunities but when Mafi returned it was 6-all.

What happened next was hugely encouraging for Leinster and equally concerning for Munster as the introduction of half-backs Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton eventually turned the tide a shade of blue.

This was Johne Murphy's first on-field exposure to this bitter rivalry.

A native of Kildare, Murphy is now unquestionably dipped in Munster red having made two brilliant try-saving tackles on Luke Fitzgerald and the industrious, yet still raw, Dominic Ryan in a fine individual performance.

And still, the winger was distraught by the result.

"I have experienced big games but this is as disappointed as I have been in my career. It is different. Nobody can tell you about the rivalry or the feeling when you win or lose.

"Absolutely gutting. A bounce of the ball another way and we could have got a try and probably won the game."

These comments resonate as Murphy earned his spurs at the Leicester Tigers where every game is a massive occasion, especially in the Welford Road cauldron.

"Positives? We are going to learn a lot about ourselves when we look back and review our game - see what we need to do against London Irish.

"The next two weeks are massive. If we get two wins (Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon come to Thomond Park on Saturday week) we are set up because it is a really tough (Heineken Cup) group."

The pendulum has swung again. Munster's campaign potentially rests upon getting something out of the trip to the English Premiership leaders next Saturday. All the momentum gained from early-season wins went up in smoke on Saturday night.

Like the bionic man, Denis Leamy has returned with reconstructed knees and shoulders, but he is the new captain, what with Paul O'Connell miles from recovery.

The Tipperary number eight is playing like he always promised to when he reached his late 20s. And now he is leading as well.

"There is work to be done but it is not all bad," said Leamy.

"It is a great game to get under our belts. Two of the best teams in Europe, I feel. Leinster would probably say they needed the result but we needed it as well. Unfortunately we didn't get it. Look, there is a lot of rugby to be played this season and we'll be back."

O'Connell is joined in the injury wilderness by Jerry Flannery. David Wallace is 34 now. New men, just like in Leinster, must start taking responsibility for any further progress.

Men like Leamy and Murphy but also Niall Ronan, Damien Varley and Donnacha Ryan will be entrusted with this task.

"Let's be honest," adds Leamy. "It hurts an awful lot. What do we do? We can't dwell on it. We've had a decent start. We came up here to win the game. That didn't happen. It was a tough game. Leinster probably just deserved it. We'll take the positives and move on. We have to. We have no other choice."

The next step is the hardest.