Celtic League: Declan Kidney paid an emotional tribute to the "greatest fullback" of his lifetime after Munster brought the curtain down on a trophyless season with five-try haul against Glasgow Warriors at Musgrave Park on Saturday.
The crowd of 3,200 were given a glimpse of what the future holds with a strong performance from Denis Hurley, but it was a day to bid a final farewell to Christian Cullen, who had announced his retirement that morning.
Cullen along with Trevor Halstead (retiring), Frank Roche (undecided) and Eoghan Hickey (moving to London Irish) leave Munster this summer, but when their names were read over the PA system at half-time, Cullen (31) received the loudest cheer.
"There comes a time when you have to be a realist and I know my body has had enough," said the injury-ravaged Kiwi, who scored 14 tries in 44 appearances after signing for Munster in November 2003. "I can't remember the last time my ankles and knees didn't ache."
An emotional Kidney added afterwards, "Not alone is he the greatest fullback ever to have played, just as a man, the way he has dealt with adversity is amazing. He is one strong, powerful man and it has been a privilege to know him."
A dominant Munster, for whom Alan Quinlan starred, had the gloss taken off one of their best displays of the season when Glasgow ran in 78th- and 79th-minute tries. Quinlan pushed for inclusion on Ireland's Test XV against Argentina on Saturday week after scoring two tries.
The game kicked into life on 17 minutes. Munster countered after Glasgow fluffed an opportunity of a try. Ronan O'Gara initiated the move from inside his own 22 and, after the ball was fed through the hands of Federico Pucciariello, Mick O'Driscoll and Quinlan, the latter's pass to Lifeimi Mafi on the right wing saw the Kiwi centre canter in behind the posts. O'Gara converted but was at fault when a block-down inside his half led to a Dan Parks penalty.
Quinlan notched his first try in the 37th minute. Mafi and Denis Leamy cut through the Glasgow defence, and Quinlan arrived in support of his backrow partner to dive over near the posts. O'Gara added the extras and the outhalf nonchalantly arced over a long-range injury-time penalty to hand Munster a 17-3 interval lead.
The omnipresent Quinlan popped up in the 53rd minute for his second, taking the try-scoring pass from Tomás O'Leary, which followed a lung-bursting Mossy Lawler surge through midfield.
It got progressively worse for the Warriors when Scott Barrow was sent to the sinbin in the 68th minute.
A minute later Munster had their fourth try when Leamy picked from the back of a five-metre scrum to dot down. The flanker saw yellow three minutes from time before the Warriors showed commendable spirit to garner tries through John Beattie and Graeme Morrison.
Munster finished with a flourish in the 83rd minute, Shaun Payne stretching to touch down.
MUNSTER: D Hurley; M Lawler, B Murphy, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley; M O'Driscoll, P O'Connell (capt); A Quinlan, D Leamy, A Foley. Replacements: J O'Sullivan for Foley (inj 40+2 mins); D O'Callaghan for O'Driscoll (59 mins); D Fogarty for Sheahan (72 mins); F Roche for Pucciariello (75 mins); S Payne for Murphy, B O'Meara for Lawler, J Manning for O'Gara (all 78 mins)
GLASGOW WARRIORS: F Leonelli; R Lamont, G Morrison, S Barrow, T Evans; D Parks, G Beveridge; J Va'a, S Lawson, M Low; A Newman, A Kellock (capt); S Swindall, D Macfadyen, J Beattie. Replacements: K Tkachuk for Va'a (45 mins); H O'Hare for Evans, C Gregor for Beveridge, F Thomson for Lawson (all 55 mins); J Barcaly for Swindall (62 mins); J Eddie for Newman (63 mins).
Referee: Hugh Watkins(Wales).
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