Munsters in perfect form for play-offs

The short-sleeved, sun-drenched supporters lapped it up as the home team threw the ball about on the firm pitch with freedom, confidence and oodles of skill to rack up another six tries and take their tally to 11 tries and 89 points in two games. And yes, this was Young Munster at Clifford Park.

Thinking back to the stick-it-up-the-jumper Young Munster rugby of before the events of Saturday could almost be described as surreal were it not for the clear change of direction that has taken place this season. This was no one-off, and so this will be an altogether different Young Munster to the one which lost tamely to Garryowen in their last semi-final appearance two seasons ago.

More of the same conditions would be welcomed too. "It's the weather," said Mick Lynch, turning and nodding toward the pitch from atop the open-topped bus on which the Munsters' captain was conducting a sequence of post-match interviews.

"You cannot compare that with the pitch for, say, the Dungannon match (on February 10th). I know that the Dungannon lads were very unhappy about it and the pitch was an absolute disgrace really. Then you come out and play on that. There's no comparison. It's fantastic, a dry ball, fling it about the place, you make things happen. It (the season) should be starting now."

Yet there are clearly other influences at work, and Lynch revealed that previously uncharted fitness levels were also a factor, as well as extra work on handling skills. This showed too.

Most of all though, at the top end of the Irish game, there is a new breed of cocky young player at Young Munster. Kieran Gallagher, a feisty rookie signed from Dundalk last summer, has been impressive all season, but on Saturday his bottomless well of energetic running took his performance up to another level. Like all good opensides, he was simply everywhere.

Mutu Ngarimu has been an excellent acquisition, tailor-made to Munsters' needs. Paul O'Connell was, well, Paul O'Connell, and was also clearly buoyed by the Munster contract that has come his way for next season which was enthusiastically announced before kick-off. He galloped in for his fifth try of the campaign, a ridiculous tally for a lock.

But it's been the back play which has really caught the eye. Perhaps the temporary departure of Tom Cregan to New Zealand will not only make him a better player but it also ended Munsters' obsession with including him as their place-kicker, either at wing or full back.

Hence the emergence of a young, attacking outside trio of Finbarr Hogan, Mark Connolly and Clem Casey, while inside them Munsters have finally appreciated that Mike Lynch can do the kicking thing and a whole lot more.

The pick of Saturday's six tries was the 49th-minute effort which removed any shred of doubt about the outcome and saw Munsters truly cut loose. Matt Te Pou made a powerful outside charge, which Connolly maximised by taking a superb straight line and a short off-load before veering out wide to take out the last man and put Hogan in with a deft reverse pass.

There were other contributing factors here, it has to be said, and Belfast Harlequins looked like a team who knew their fate even before the kick-off, even though their unity of purpose was poignantly displayed when they went into their umpteenth and last huddle of the day after the match was over, and coach Brian Robinson was warmly applauded.

However, in addition to missed tackles, you'd also have expected more from them up front. Most of all though their basic skill levels, unforced handling errors and laboured use of the ball showed them up. All in all a disappointing farewell to the top flight.

Another positive factor for Young Munster was the referee, Olan Trevor, occasionally and unfairly booed by the parochial home crowd on the rare occasions he stemmed the Munsters' procession by actually penalising them, tut, tut. But he was ideally placed in twice decreeing that Harlequins' had dropped the ball over the line and generally was an unobtrusive presence while letting the game flow. He had a fine game.

Scoring sequence: 6 mins: Gallagher try 5-0; 8: Malone pen 5-3; 13: Lynch pen 8-3; 16: Malone pen 8-6; 19: Hogan try, Lynch con 15-6; 35: Lynch pen 18-6; (half-time 18-6) 49: Hogan try, Lynch con 25-6; 53: Rabie try 25-11; 56: Rose try 32-11; 59: Lynch pen 35-11; 69: O'Connell try, Lynch con 42-11; 72: Morrow try, Malone con 4218; 79: Rose try, 47-18.

Young Munster: M Connolly; F Hogan, M Mullins, L Doyle, C Casey; M Lynch, M Prendergast; P Clohessy, B Cantrell, M Fitzgerald, P O'Connell, D Peters, M Te Pou, M Ngarimu, K Gallagher. Replacements: J Rose for Ngarimu (54 mins), H O'Neill for Te Pou (60 mins), T Lane for Cantrell, R Flanagan for Fitzgerald, D Reddan for Prendergast, D O'Sullivan for L Doyle (all 70 mins).

Belfast Harlequins: R Morrow; R Collins, S Coulter, S Dick, A Park; N Malone, D Spence; C Boyd, R Weir, S Best, K Rabie, G O'Loan (capt), C Galway, C McCarey, N Best. Replacements: D Scott for Boyd, M Higginson for McCarey, J Lowe for Park (all 69 mins), P Hancock for Dick, G Jewhurst for Galway (both 75 mins).

Referee: O Trevor (IRFU).