There was a broad sweep to the sporting mood at Keane Park on Saturday, even to the point of anticipating events at Madison Square Garden that night. And at the end of a torrid confrontation before a record attendance of about 6,000, Buccaneers had edged closer to a Division One play-off place.
When Buccaneers' forwards analyse their various successes at the end of the campaign, one suspects that none will have taken such a physical toll as this one.
Referee Bertie Smith was obliged more than once to seek the help of his touch judges in attempting to apply just punishment for outbreaks of fighting. As early as the fifth minute, he had occasion to admonish the respective tight-heads, Martin Cahill and Peter Clohessy.
In the final quarter, the packs were at it again and in one of these latter exchanges, Young Munster loose-head Des Clohessy was shown a yellow card. Prior to that, there had been a dust-up between the scrum-halves, Michael Prendergast and Stephen McIvor, resulting in a penalty to Buccaneers.
As their out-half, Simon Allnut, prepared to take this particular shot at goal, he found himself with a much easier kick than anticipated, courtesy of some unsolicited advice from Peter Clohessy to the referee.
These elements aside, it was a marvellously absorbing battle which highlighted once more, the remarkable determination of the home side. Having seen a 12-0 half-time lead cut to 12-10 while facing the wind in the third quarter, they simply wouldn't contemplate defeat. Essentially, it was commitment that made the difference between two evenly-matched teams. Young Munster could consider themselves unfortunate in having nothing to show for a pulsating period of aggression, close to the Buccaneers line midway through the first half.
If an extra shove in a critical set-scrum were called for, however, the Westerners always seemed to have the edge. In this respect, props Jimmy Screene and Cahill epitomised the indefatigable character of the side, while Allnut sustained their spirit through his goal-kicking accuracy.
By landing seven out of eight kicks, the out-half accounted for his team's total, bringing his personal tally to 94 points for the league campaign. In sharp contrast, his Young Munster counterpart, Aidan O'Halloran, missed with kickable efforts from 25 and 30 yards during the second quarter before retiring injured. Ironically, the best score of the match came from Young Munster right wing Denis O'Dowd. Indeed it was a score that would have graced any encounter.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Buccaneers had survived early pressure to advance up to the opposing 25 when a short kick ahead by Alan Connolly was intercepted by O'Dowd. With wonderful pace, control and purpose, the Young Munster wing raced more than 75 yards, wrong-footing fullback Robert Lee along the way, before scoring a try behind the posts.
But an even greater irony was the effect it had on the home team. When Lynch's conversion had narrowed the gap to only two points, Buccaneers were seen at their best.
Scoring sequence: 3 mins: S Allnut pen goal (3-0); 8: Allnut pen goal (6-0); 18: Allnut pen goal (9-0); 36: Allnut pen goal (12-0); 55: D O'Dowd try, Lynch conv (12-7); 59: Lynch pen goal (12-10); 61: Allnut pen goal (15-10), 70: Allnut pen goal 18-10; 70: Lynch pen goal (1813); 75: Allnut pen goal (21-13).
BUCCANEERS: R Lee; A Connolly, O Cobbe, C Gormley, M Devine; S Allnut, S McIvor; J Screene, J McNeigh, M Cahill, B Rigney, C Rigney, Des Rigney, M Steffart, E Brennan. Replacement: Donal Rigney for Des Rigney (79 mins).
YOUNG MUNSTER: M Lynch; D O'Dowd, N O'Meara, S McCahill, R Larkin; A O'Halloran, M Prendergast; D Clohessy, M Hayes, P Clohessy, M O'Halloran, D O'Meara, B Buckley, M Webber, G Earls. Replacement: F Cusack for A O'Halloran (43 mins).
Referee: B Smith (Munster)
