Ulster go clear as Munster miss frontline players

RUGBY/Ulster 27 Munster 3: Ulster completed the double over Munster with a comprehensive victory at Ravenhill last night to move clear at the top of the Celtic League table as the tournament enters the business end of the season.

Having worn down their opponents up front in an edgy, rather error-prone first half, Ulster cut loose after the break, with Justin Harrison's first try for the province landing the all-important bonus point in the 65th minute following touchdowns by Tommy Bowe, Roger Wilson and Paul Steinmetz.

A fifth try in injury time by Neil McMillan completed the scoring.

With six games to go, the destination of the title is now in the hands of Mark McCall's side, with Ulster's next assignment at home to Gwent Dragons on March 25th.

Munster, however, will still fancy their chances in the run-in, when they will have their Ireland players available again.

It was hardly a level playing field for the visitors last night; Declan Kidney's team were missing 10 of their frontline players and for bad measure proceeded to lose the highly influential centre Barry Murphy to what looked like a serious ankle injury midway through the first half.

Once Ulster cut out their first-half mistakes, they made light work of victory after the break.

Impressive Munster defending had forced the home side to work hard for their 10-3 lead at the break, with out-of-favour Ireland wing Bowe touching down - after controversially barging fullback Sean Payne before the ball arrived - from a cross-kick by David Humphreys and Wilson powering over just before the break.

Munster had taken an early lead thanks to the boot of Paul Burke with a 13th-minute penalty but once Paul Steinmetz had ghosted over for Ulster's third try four minutes after the restart, there was no way back.

To their credit, they responded with a spell of pressure that almost yielded tries for Tomás O'Leary and Shaun Payne.

But Ulster held firm and Jonny Bell was unlucky not to be awarded a try following a sensational Steinmetz break, referee Alain Rolland ruling he hadn't grounded the ball in play.

Ulster's frustrations proved short-lived however for once Payne was sent to the sinbin for deliberately killing the ball as the home side swept to the line, Harrison barged over for the bonus point.

Ulster proceeded to dominate the final quarter, with McMillan adding the icing to the cake for the full house of 12,300 supporters on a night when the only fly in the ointment for the home side was a calf injury to scrum-half Isaac Boss.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 13mins: P Burke pen, 0-3; 17 mins: T Bowe try, 5-3; 39 mins: R Wilson try, 10-3 (half-time 10-3); 44 mins: P Steinmetz try, D Humphreys con 17-3; 64 mins: J Harrison try, 22-3; 79 mins: N McMillan try, 27-3.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, J Bell, P Steinmetz, A Maxwell; D Humphreys, I Boss; B Young, R Best, S Best; J Harrison, M McCullough; N Best, S Ferris, R Wilson. Replacements: K Campbell for Boss (34 mins); J Fitzpatrick for Young (58 mins); K Maggs for Bell (65 mins); N McMillan for Ferris (68 mins); A Larkin for Humphreys (72 mins); N Brady for R Best, R Caldwell for Harrison (both 75 mins)

MUNSTER: S Payne; I Dowling, A Horgan, B Murphy, T Halstead, I Dowling; P Burke, T O'Leary; F Roche, D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, B Madigan, S Keogh, S Keogh, J O'Connor, J O'Sullivan, A Foley. Replacements: G Connolly for Murphy (26 mins); M Lawlor for Horgan (43 mins); M Melbourne for O'Connor (54 mins); M Prendergast for Burke (68 mins); M Ross for Roche (72 mins); T Buckley for Madigan (75 mins). Sinbinned: Payne (63 mins).

Referee: A Rolland (Leinster)