Rugby: IT'S WALLACE AND GRAB IT

MUNSTER 31

SALE 9

MUNSTER certainly don't do things the easy way.

Three tries up and the game in the bag after just half an hour, they waited until the 82nd-minute to get the bonus point that gives them a home tie in the quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup.

The Munster faithful are used to having their nerves tested and last night was no exception as Sale defended stoutly in the second half to try to secure home advantage for themselves in the quarter- finals.

But Munster never panicked and as a dour second half dragged on without a single score to either side, they regrouped for one final assault.

They turned a Sale scrum near halfway and then moved the ball swiftly through Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, Trevor Halstead and Shaun Payne and when he was finally stopped yards short, the ball was recycled for David Wallace to pick up and go over.

Munster coach Declan Kidney said: "Our primary aim was to win the match. That guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals. It was great to get the three tries in the first half, but it was important we did not panic.

"We kept plugging away and were rewarded with that late try. It was a great way to finish a great day."

With tension soaring from the outset, it was no surprise that it did not take long for the first bout of fisticuffs with Sale's Argentinian lock Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe being sin-binned after four minutes when he landed a flurry of blows on hooker Jerry Flannery.

Ronan O'Gara duly landed the 25metre penalty and the Red Army were off and running.

But Sale met the challenge and were rewarded six minutes later when Charlie Hodgson converted a penalty in front of the posts after superb work by their French talisman Sebastien Chabal.

Munster knew that if they could break him they were going to be well on their way and from the restart Paul O'Connell waited until Chabal caught possession before driving him 15 yards back.

It ended with Hodgson slicing to touch and from the lineout, which was taken by Denis Leamy, Munster rumbled forward with skipper Anthony Foley touching down at the end of the drive.

O'Gara added the points to make it 10-3 before Hodgson pulled back a penalty, but then Kidney's men hit overdrive and after a series of forays, they sprayed it wide out left for Ian Dowling to dive over in the corner.

O'Gara landed the conversion before prop Marcus Horan and Sale's English international lock Chris Jones were sin-binned for another off-the-ball skirmish. Munster may have been dominating but they were also getting the bounce of the ball, none more so than four minutes from the break when a blocked O'Gara kick in midfield hung beautifully in the air for centre Barry Murphy to take possession and sprint from halfway for a remarkable try.

O'Gara again added the points before Hodgson kicked his third penalty to leave it 24-9 in Munster's favour at the break - but they had to wait for that dramatic finish to complete the job.

MUNSTER: Tries: Foley, Dowling, Murphy, Wallace. Cons: O'Gara 4. Pens: O'Gara SALE SHARKS: Pens: Hodgson 3

Copyright 2006 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.