Munster blow hot when it counts

Celtic League/ The Borders 23 Munster 38: Munster woke up in the second half to coast past The Borders and retain second spot in the table.

Playing into the wind in the first half at Galashiels, Munster looked lethargic and uninterested, probably in the knowledge they just needed to up the tempo to see off the bottom club.

A try on the stroke of half-time from centre Paul Devlin cut into The Borders' lead, but the hosts still led 23-7 at the interval. They were not to score again

In the second period, the Munster forwards started to dominate, put The Borders lineout and scrum under fierce pressure, and turned the tide in their favour.

Peter Stringer came on for the final 20 minutes, but by then the game was won thanks to a three-try burst in seven minutes.

The Borders coach Steve Bates summed it up. "Even with our lead, I thought the writing was on the wall at the interval. I knew Munster, with their power and experience, would punish us in the second half."

The Borders had wanted to impress on their last home game of the season and for 40 minutes looked composed and confident, scoring five tries

Charlie Hore kicked them ahead on nine minutes and they gained reward for their pressure on 21 minutes when Mark Blair broke clear from a ruck 22 metres out and Stephen Cranston was at his elbow to take the scoring pass.

Three minutes later, Simon Danielli intercepted a loose pass in his own 22 and raced more than 70 metres to touch down under the posts. Hore converted and added a penalty to stretch the lead, but five minutes from the interval, Devlin burst under the posts for Jason Holland to convert.

Munster were reduced to 14 men, prop John Hayes yellow carded for persistent fouling, and within two minutes Hore popped over yet another penalty for a 23-7 lead.

Strong words may have been said in the dressingroom at the interval, for Munster came out with all guns blazing and turned the game on its head.

Jerry Flannery cut the deficit with a try on 46 minutes and it was game on when Donncha O'Callaghan was driven over for Holland to convert.

Mike Mullins came in for Shaun Payne as Munster reshaped their back line, and the replacement nipped over for a fourth try - Holland again converting - to put them in control.

It was one-way traffic as Rob Henderson had a clear run to the line and Holland added the points to be followed by a touchdown from Anthony Foley.

It was, in the end, all too easy.

THE BORDERS: S Moffat; S Danielli, S Cranston, J Pattison, N Walker; C Hore, C Cusiter; T McGee, R Ford, B Douglas, M Blair, C Stewart, W McEntee, K Brown, A Miller. Replacements: J Dalziel for Blair, S Scott for Ford, G Cross for McGee, G Morton for Cranston. Tries: Cranston, Danielli. Cons: Hore (2). Pens: Hore (3).

MUNSTER: S Payne; J Kelly, P Devlin, R Henderson, A Horgan; J Holland, F Murphy; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, S Keogh, D Wallace, A Foley. Replacements: M Mullins for Payne, A Quinlan for Keogh, P Stringer for Murphy, T Hogan for O'Connell, C Doyle for Henderson. Tries: Devlin, Flannery, O'Callaghan, Mullins, Henderson, Foley. Cons: Holland (4).

Referee: P Fear (Wales).