Solid Connacht grab their biggest scalp

MAGNERS LEAGUE:CONNACHT REWROTE the history books here last evening. Twenty-nine years since they last beat Munster at their home venue; 22 since they won in Thomond Park, but last night was different.

This was no ordinary interprovincial challenge of old. This was about Connacht, the perennial losers, overcoming the European champions, the leaders in the Magners League.

And it will do Connacht a hell of a lot more good than any damage it might have done to Munster's title aspirations.

Munster, with 11 of the XV who put the All Blacks to the pin of their collar in November, and nine internationals, always looked capable of prevailing, just as they have always done in these traditional, dogged Christmas fixtures. But last night Connacht refused to grant them that lifeline.

Even in the dying stages, when the most threatening Munster backs, Keith Earls and Doug Howlett combined, first up the right wing, then up the left, Connacht's defence was not found wanting.

Understandably, Connacht coach Michael Bradley had extra reason to celebrate, having featured in that Munster loss 29 years ago.

"As good as it comes," he described the victory after seven years at the helm. "I'm delighted. An awful lot of what we try to do here is gain respect, and to do that you have to beat the best, and Munster are the best," he says.

"The guys worked extremely hard and they kept the pressure on. We do crave international recognition and it is disheartening that they do not get enough international recognition for how they play."

Describing Munster's XV as "very blunt", he said it was Connacht's players who sparkled.

"We have turned over Munster and they are the European champions, the standard-bearers of Irish rugby. We have backed up our win over Leinster, and now it's down to others to give them the recognition they deserve."

Among those Bradley must be referring to are scrumhalf Frank Murphy, who was at the heart of Connacht's defence; captain John Muldoon, who has been enjoying a solid season on the blindside, and last night returned from a nine-week break following a knee injury; openside Ray Ofisa, in the absence of the injured Johnny O'Connor; outhalf Ian Keatley, who continues to grow in the Connacht environment; and prop Brett Wilkinson, as lively in the loose as he is solid in the scrum.

In a game that was never elegant, despite the ideal weather conditions, this was about defence and pressure, with Connacht prevailing in a game decided by penalty kicks.

Munster are the traditional masters, but Connacht's outstanding defence - stretched on a number of occasions - withstood the challenges Munster threw at them, particularly after Connacht had taken a 6-3 half-time lead.

It was a deserved reward for the amount of possession they enjoyed, particularly from a lineout in which Andrew Farley and John Muldoon were once again the chief protagonists.

But until Keatley struck a 37th-minute penalty when Niall Ronan was sinbinned for another offside offence committed by the Munster pack, it looked like Connacht would reap little for their efforts.

Munster had struck early with an eighth-minute penalty from Paul Warwick after Mike McCarthy was pinged for being off his feet in the ruck as Connacht lived dangerously with a shaky start.

David Wallace was just short with his pick up and drive from a five-metre scrum, after Gavin Duffy had done well to rescue Paul Warwick's chip through the defence from 10 metres out.

While Munster did try to spread the ball wide at every opportunity, Connacht played a lot of good rugby, trying to offload on the burst with some measure of success, particularly when Farley made a superb break until Ronan's ankle tap halted the momentum.

Instead, Connacht conceded a second penalty but Warwick's ambitious effort from just inside half-way fell short.

Within four minutes Connacht had struck their opening points when Quinlan was ruled offside, and they ended the half in more confident form when Keatley struck again after Ronan was yellow carded.

Munster, however, picked up the tempo despite their numerical disadvantage, and they must have sensed victory coming when Warwick struck a second penalty within five minutes to level the game.

Try-saving tackles from Robbie Morris and Murphy helped the Connacht cause when Howlett danced up the right wing from Warwick's cross-field kick, as did a 52nd-minute penalty effort from Warwick which was well wide.

Munster created the more scoring chances in that half, but when Howlett was sinbinned for a dangerous tackle on Duffy the wheels began to wobble in the usually well-oiled Munster machinery. When Wallace was pinged for being off his feet in the ruck Keatley was on song in the 61st minute, and a fourth from the young Clontarf outhalf, when Mick O'Driscoll conceded the penalty after a huge Ofisa, hit ensured the writing was on the wall for the European champions.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; T Nathan, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, A Browne, M Swift, K Campbell, A Dunne, M Deane.

MUNSTER: K Earls; D Howlett, B Murphy, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley; M O'Driscoll, D Ryan; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace. Replacements: M Essex, T Ryan, J Coughlan, N Williams, M Prendergast, J Manning, D Hurley. Sinbinned: Ronan, Howlett.

Referee: A Roland.