Players hope for another boost from Red Army

Munster star Paul O’Connell is hoping the province’s Red Army can lift the side to another famous Heineken Cup victory in Montpellier today as a contingent of 7,000 supporters descend on the French city ahead of the semi-final clash with Clermont Auvergne, which kicks off at 5pm Irish time).

Munster fans turned a tough quarter-final at the Twickenham Stoop into a virtual home game three weeks ago when their heroes knocked out English champions Harlequins. The mood of the waves of supporters streaming out of airplanes in Montpellier yesterday and heading for the bars and restaurants of this city by the Mediterranean suggest they will be seen as well as heard in the 31,000-capacity Stade de la Mosson this evening.

“The fans have always played a big role for us,” O’Connell said yesterday. “Even today in the airport, guys were taken aback by the amount of travelling fans.

“We are always lifted when away by the travelling support as well, and the guys got a massive lift off the fans before the Harlequins game, during the game, and probably particularly after the game.

“They always play a big role for us. They always make themselves heard, you know. Every single big game we have won on the road, the fans have always played a big role for us, and hopefully tomorrow will be no different.”

Montpellier’s Irish pubs were already filling up yesterday afternoon as the Munster players made a pre-match visit to Stade de la Mosson.

“We were delighted to see that Munster were coming to play in Montpellier,” said publican Gareth Holmes of the Irish-owned, city centre hostelry O’Carolan’s.

Mr Holmes has organised a special late-night licence to accommodate Munster fans and has even slashed his drink prices by 20% to grab a piece of the action in the high-cost city centre, where a pint of Guinness can cost up to €10.

“We have to look after our own when they come to visit us and our little token should hopefully give the supporters the voice to spur Munster to victory,” said Mr Holmes.