Melck's score moves Munster
Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:51
South African import Justin Melck produced a crucial second-half score to help Munster produce a vital 18-0 Magners League win over defending champions Leinster in the all-Irish derby at RDS in Dublin on Sunday.
The Reds are now just one point behind Welsh region Ospreys at the top of the standings - but with the Heineken Cup champions, Munster, having a game in hand.
This game had all the intensity one would want in an all-Irish derby - a game billed the clash of the champions, Munster being European champs and Leinster Magners League winners last season.
However, Munster had more going forward and ultimately Leinster never looked like scoring a try.
Apart from some poor place kicking and the odd misplaced pass, the first half was a brilliant advert for rugby - despite just one penalty being converted.
Ronan O'Gara spurned his first chance on a minute, but it was Felipe Contepomi whose kicking was particularly poor in the first half.
He missed three penalties, one of which he would score blindfolded on another day.
The tackling was extremely fierce, and very little happened in consequence in the way of try-scoring opportunities; defences were on top.
Munster finally took the lead midway through the first half when Contepomi was penalised and O'Gara tapped over.
Munster had a sustained period of pressure midway through the second half, eventually earning a five-metre scrum. Leinster were penalised close to their line and O'Gara made no mistake from in front of the posts on 56 minutes.
If Munster were to get a try, one felt that would be that and so it proved. It came out of little 12 minutes later.
The outstanding Lifeimi Mafi broke and fed Keith Earls, who offloaded to Melck. Melck was composed and the Springbok showed his strength to burst through and over the line. O'Gara's conversion, which was quite scoreable, went wide.
Mafi came close to scoring a try himself at the death, but Leinster scrambled clear.
However, the second try would come with a minute left. Doug Howlett did brilliantly to scoop the ball up and spin around and over the line after a gorgeous O'Gara kick.
The scorers:
For Leinster:
None
For Munster:
Tries: Melck, Howlett
Con: O'Gara
Pens: O'Gara 2
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Girvan Dempsey, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Chris Whitaker, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen (captain), 3 CJ Van Der Linde, 2 Bernard Jackman, 1 Ronan McCormack.
Replacements: 16 Stan Wright, 17 John Fogarty, 18 Trevor Hogan, 19 Cameron Jowitt, 20 Sean O'Brien, 21 Chris Keane, 22 Rob
Kearney.
Munster: 15 Keith Earls, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Rua Tipoki, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Ian Dowling, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Tomas O'Leary, 8 Justin Melck, 7 David Wallace, 6 Donncha Ryan, 5 Donncha O'Callaghan, 4 Paul O'Connell (captain), 3 John Hayes, 2 Jerry Flannery, 1 Marcus Horan.
Replacements: 16 Frank Sheahan, 17 Federico Pucciariello, 18 John O'Sullivan, 19 Alan Quinlan, 20 Peter Stringer, 21 Paul Warwick, 22 Barry Murphy.
Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Touch judges: Colin Stanley (Ireland), David Wilkinson (Ireland)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland)
