THE lure of the English league has proved irresistible to a goodly number of the Ireland squad. Their departure has not led to a lost Eden in the context of the interprovincial championship, a series sponsored by Guinness. On the evidence provided at Donnybrook on Saturday, this series is very far from a devalued irrelevance or on the point of expiring.
At a time of so much strife and trouble, it was heart-warming to witness this spectacle and one left the ground with the inner satisfaction of knowing that there are values that money cannot buy. Perhaps in the current climate that is rugby's least understood dimension by some who seek to control the game by cheque-book.
The alleged cream of the Irish crop may be operating elsewhere but those who wore their province's jerseys on Saturday did their provinces and the game proud. This was a match to deposit in the bank of golden memories, a contest to savour and unquestionably one of the best and most exciting interprovincials that I have had the good fortune to see.
Some 85 points, eighty tries and, in the end, a five-point win for Munster. Now the title beckons for Munster who need only a draw against Ulster at Thomond Park next Saturday to regain the championship last won two years ago. Retention of the crown won with such conviction last season by Leinster is no longer a prospect.
It was fitting that a match in which fortune ebbed and flowed and was played at a remarkable pace - the lead changed hands half a dozen times - that the winning score should come in the fourth minute of injury time.
It was Munster's good fortune to get it. That they did is a tribute to their dedication. They had seen their tenuous one point advantage of 38-37 turned into a two-point deficit in the 81th minute when Leinster outside half Richard Governey kicked a superb penalty.
The final action of this pulsating match epitomised a contest of strength, courage and skill and one without statistical equal in the 123 years of interprovincial competition.
The Leinster manager, Jim Glennon, coach Ciaran Callan, and captain Chris Pim were all very disappointed and the feeling was summed up by Glennon when he said: "When you score 40 points and five tries and still lose it is hard to take but I suppose you could say that the team that finishes ahead in a match that produced 85 points deserves to win."
Both Glennon and the Munster manager, Colm Tucker, made the point that those who said the interprovincial series no longer counted got a ready answer.
"Let us hear no more talk now that the series is dead," said Glennon. "It was a superb game of rugby." said Tucker.
"I have never played in a better or more enjoyable interprovincial," said Munster captain Mick Galwey.
From a Leinster perspective, Callan got it right when he said: "We played very much better than we did in beating Ulster. Our ball retention was better for a start but I feel we still let the match slip. Some of our restarts, too, were not good and that proved costly."
No doubt had Munster lost they would also have felt they let it slip away.
It was a remarkable match. Munster dominated the early stages and went 13 points ahead by the 11th minute, with two penalty goals from Brian Begley and a fine try from Galwey who played extremely well. Begley converted that and had he not missed an easy penalty, Munster's advantage would have been 16 points.
But after Governey kicked a penalty for Leinster, David Coleman scored a good try after the Munster defence was opened. Governey converted and then added a penalty. There were then only three points between the sides and the trend had been set for a thriller.
Begley kicked another penalty to make it 10-16 and then Kurt McQuilkin made a great break to. open the way for a try from Martin Ridge; Governey converted and Leinster led 17-6. Another penalty from Governey and Leinster led 20-6.
The action was hectic, the creative skills evident. Two more penalties from Begley saw Munster regain the lead and then McQuilkin, who played especially well in the first half, got a try with a fine break down the left wing. Governey missed the conversion but Leinster led 25-22. The first half had produced 47 points.
Governey missed three penalty chances early in the second half - he hit an upright with one - but when Neil Francis, who had exerted influence on the line-out for much of the initial period, got a try in the 50th minute, Leinster led 30-22. Governey's conversion attempt hit the upright.
"We should have won from that position," said Pim. "But we did not close them down and allowed too much freedom on the fringes and did not pick up their runners.
Munster coach Gerry Holland felt that "we made occasional lapses in that first half to allow Leinster back into the game but I thought we defended well in the second half and I was really pleased the way we came back".
Munster lost Begley just before the interval but Mick Lynch took over the kicking duties and performed admirably. Galwey got his second try in the 53rd minute; Lynch converted, added a penalty then Killian Keane dropped a superb goal and Lynch kicked another penalty and Munster led 38-30 with 15 minutes to go.
But the dramatic content heightened. Leinster, for whom number eight Kevin Spicer was again a notable performer, came back yet again. Denis Hickie got a try for Leinster after a quick throw-in at a line-out near the Munster line and Governey, who had missed three early second half penalties - he hit an upright with-one - converted from the touchline.
Now it was 37-8 to Munster. They twice got over the Leinster line but referee Graham Hughes ruled that they had not grounded the ball. "I thought one of those decisions a particularly bad mistake," said Tucker.
But Munster hung to a one point lead. Then Governey kicked a magnificent penalty from over 40 yards out on the right and Leinster had the lead with the match in injury time. But Munster came back, got a footing deep in the Leinster "25" and Eddie Halvey forced his way over for a try in the left corner. Lynch converted and that was that.
The players well deserved the ovation they got at the end.
