Paul O'Connell believes David Wallace's lightning second-half try was crucial in Munster's stunning 37-14 triumph against Sale.
Skipper keen to see his side secure a home draw in cup quarter-finals
Paul O'Connell believes David Wallace's lightning second-half try was crucial in Munster's stunning 37-14 triumph against Sale.
The skipper led from the front with the game's opening try at Thomond Park as the Heineken Cup champions completed a convincing double over the Guinness Premiership side.
But the Magners League leaders led just 12-6 at half-time before going on to claim the comfortable six-try win that sees them qualify for the last eight of the competition.
Flanker Wallace's try just 26 seconds after the interval was a body blow to the Sharks' cause though and O'Connell admitted as much himself.
Pivotal
"We just really wanted it. We put a lot of ourselves into it this week. There's been a lot of talk about Thomond Park in the last few weeks, a lot of opposing players talking about playing here," O'Connell told
Sky Sports 1.
"The crowd are fabulous here but they don't do anything for you on the pitch - you have to do that yourself. We filled the jersey well today.
"Every team in the world goes in at half-time whether you are behind or ahead and the cliche is to make the first score - be it a three-pointer, five-pointer or a seven-pointer. That first score is vital.
"I'm sure Sale were saying the same thing in their dressing room. Donncha (O'Callaghan) caught Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe with a good turnover and Wally then did what he's been doing all year. That five points was massive."
Tomas O'Leary, Lifeimi Mafi, Paul Warwick and Jerry Flannery grabbed the other tries as the Irish province qualified for the last eight, but O'Connell knows there can be no room for complacency with a home draw in the quarter-finals up for grabs in Montauban next weekend.
"We're going to have to pull together all this week and make sure the mentality is right," he added. "It's something we need to monitor with ourselves all the time and keep an eye on ourselves.
"It's very important for us that we're able to go over with the right mental attitude and produce another performance, especially after the highs of this week and last week against the Ospreys."
Disappointment
Departing Sale director of rugby Philippe Saint Andre says the focus must switch to domestic affairs for his final months in the job.
"I think one needs to congratulate Munster. When you concede six tries against a team, it is not good," he said.
"Munster played a lot of the good rugby tonight - we were second best at the contact area and the body position wasn't right.
"Munster played well and we tried to play catch-up rugby. We came back within five points but made too many mistakes and they finished us.
"They played very well, they were very physical and they won 90 per cent of the contact area and were able to kick to the corner to relieve pressure.
"I've nothing more to say other than they were much better than us. Now we need to focus on the Guinness Premiership.
"We have the best defensive record in the Premiership, I think we've only conceded nine tries in 11 games and today we conceded six tries.
"They played very well and didn't make any mistakes, and tonight we weren't good enough to match them."
