Over recent years Munster have made a habit of making their qualification for the quarter-finals of the European Cup as difficult as possible and this has almost always included a must win final pool game in the legendary citadel that is Thomond Park.

There were fears last year that the ongoing refurbishment works to the old Limerick venue would cause it to be out of action for such massive matches but credit to all for ensuring that this was not the case. Also, isn’t it really taking shape? Going to be some stadium when it’s finished.

Over recent years of course there have been massive matches, like Gloucester, Leicester, Sale and so on, and of course last Saturday threw up one of the biggest of them all. The champions of the last two Heineken Cups going toe to toe. Only one team of champions could advance to the last eight. The other would be out.

The different scenarios were numerous and complicated but unlike last year against Leicester, when Munster’s unbelievable home record in this competition ended, this was a game that Munster had to win and that brings out a whole different side of this great team. And so it proved.

Once again, not for the first time this season, the game was played in atrocious weather conditions, but that only seemed to bring out the best in Munster.

Wasps started brightly but as the game wore on Munster grew into the game and with O’Gara kicking brilliantly and pulling the strings with one of his finest ever performances in a red shirt, Wasps were always going to struggle to keep themselves in the game.

Last year Leicester’s foundation for success was that the defeated Munster up front but this time around Wasps had no answer. Especially to the brilliance of the second row combination of Mick O’Driscoll and man of the match, Donnacha O’Callaghan, who was quite magnificent, especially in the lineout where they reduced the great Rafael Ibanez, Simon Shaw and the rest to broken men.

However for all Munster’s dominance Wasps were in this game right up until the point when O’Gara carved them open and slipped the ball to Denis Leamy to run in the only try of the game. Curtains for Wasps after that.

Indeed to restrict the defending champions to just three points, and probably just one chance of a try, was a truly remarkable performance but this wonderful team.

In fairness to Dallalgio et al, they were very gracious in defeat but then again that is the true mark of champions.

So then we waited for the draw on Sunday? But before that we had the chance to air our frustration at the unfairness of it all.

Here were Munster pitted in most probably the toughest pool in the history of the competition, topping the group of death and still having no chance of getting a home quarter-final. Madness.

With this confirmed and still hard to take, we hoped for anyone but Toulouse. When the draw came through we got that but probably the next hardest assignment. A visit to King-sholm to play Gloucester, who currently sit on top of the English Premeirship.

I’ve been to Kingsholm and it is a wonderful cauldron, containing some of the most fanatical rugby fans in the game. But this won’t bother Munster, who have a bit of unfinished business there are previous defeats.

Also with the competition now taking a break for the Six Nations, the ground looks likely to be far more conducive to the playing of a running game in April, and with Munster’s new look backline this could be a mouth-watering prospect.

I for one can hardly wait.

DAN THE MAN AGAIN

Last Saturday night was another big night in West Waterford for the annual staging of the ever popular, Park Hotel Supreme Sports Star Awards. It is hard to believe that this was the seventeenth staging of this successful awards scheme and once again it was a wonderful night, wonder-fully staged by Pierce Flynn and everyone involved.

It really was a high class field of monthly winners this year and as I said last week, any one of the twelve would have been a highly deserving winner. But there could only be one overall victor and not surprisingly that honour fell, for the second year in a row, to Dan Shanahan.

I’m sure Dan must be seriously considering an extension to house all the awards that he has picked up over the last few years but it was evident that this award, presented on his own doorstep, is an extra special one for him.

Congratulations Dan and to everyone involved for yet another great night. Long may it continue.

HUNT GOES ON AND ON

Will we ever again see the day when the Irish soccer team has a manager? This week they say. Maybe even by the time you read this, but I for one will not be holding my breath for too long. While I can understand them not wanting to rush into it and make a bags of it again, it seems to me that the whole things is dragging on far too long at this stage. For instance last week, there were five different favourites in the betting market. Now that’s just mad. Brilliant for the bookmakers but mad-ness for everyone else. One of the rumours to the rounds late last week suggested that it was down to two. Gerard Houllier and Terry Venables but over the weekend the Frenchman seems to distanced himself from the job, which means that once again, as he really has since day one, El Tel seems to be the favourite and really only candidate. But I still would-n’t say it’s a certainty. Liam Brady still isn’t out of it I would suggest but then who knows? I don’t think anyone is the answer to that.

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