Munster find final surge

Leinster 17 Munster 23

But it was a close run thing.

A crucial late try from captain, Anthony Foley, and the decision to send Leinster’s David Holwell off six minutes from the end proved decisive in sending Munster into a Celtic Cup final clash on Saturday against Llanelli at Lansdowne Road (5.30pm).

Domestic bragging rights were a bonus on a day of throbbing excitement and talking points. Holwell was shown the red card by referee Nigel Whitehouse on the advice of a touch-judge after allegedly kneeing Peter Stringer in the head. Video evidence suggested he was harshly sentenced.

Victor Costello received an enthusiastic send-off but it wasn’t what he wanted after doing everything to steer Leinster into the decider. Instead Gaffney gets the opportunity to finish his term as Munster coach with some silverware. Former captain Jim Williams and stalwart centre Jason Holland would also like to finish on a high against Llanelli.

Munster did deserve their victory. They were the better side, were more focused throughout and defended brilliantly to deny Brian O’Driscoll and Co the chinks of lights they thrive on. Leinster’s lethal back division will always be a threat and they produced the most sublime moment of the game. But too often they foundered on a defensive formation which fused into a nigh-impenetrable wall.

Holwell, who has apparently inked a deal to return to Leinster for next year’s Heineken Cup campaign, was the master of the boot in the first half with four penalties. He struck in the fourth and seventh minutes to establish a 6-0 lead but Munster responded vigorously and went in front, briefly, with a Marcus Horan try that Paul Burke converted. Holwell put Leinster into a 9-7 lead with his third penalty.

Most of the action was deep in Munster territory as Leinster piled on the pressure Gordon D’Arcy nearly made it in, Des Dillon wasn’t far off the mark either, but Declan Kidney’s former charges had to be satisfied with another penalty from Holwell to stretch the lead to five points.

Munster were thrown a lifeline when Anthony Horgan blazed a path through the Leinster defence and, when brought down, Shane Horgan was deemed to have stopped clean ruck ball coming back.

Horgan was shown the yellow card and Paul Burke kicked the penalty.

Munster did strike the front when Burke kicked a penalty after 50 seconds of the second half and went four points ahead when the ex-Harlequins stand-off landed another.

The battle intensified in the 53rd minute when Leinster scored a spectacular try from full-back Girvan Dempsey.

Munster introduced Denise Leamy for David Wallace and the former’s charge down of Dempsey’s clearance put Munster in an attacking position. When Anthony Foley stole a Leinster line out it all looked good but Alan Quinlan’s spat with Shane Jennings earned him a yellow card.

Mike Mullins broke through, chipped ahead and put Leinster under pressure on their own line. From the line out, Leinster knocked on, Munster drove forward and Anthony Foley made it to the line just after Stringer had been stopped. Burke converted to give Munster a 23-17 advantage.

Leinster launched a furious late assault in injury time with replacement Brian O’Meara the instigator. However, their last-gasp blind side attack was ended when Anthony Horgan put up the shutters once again.

LEINSTER: G. Dempsey, S. Horgan, B. O’Driscoll, G. D’Arcy, D. Hickie, D. Holwell, G. Easterby, R. Corrigan (captain), S. Byrne, E. Byrne, L. Cullen, M. O’Kelly, D. Dillon, V. Costello, K. Gleeson.

Replacements: S. Jennings for Gleeson (42), D. Quinlan for Hickie, B. Gissing for Costello (both 72), B. O’Meara for Easterby (80)

MUNSTER: S. Payne, J. Kelly, M. Mullins, R. Henderson, A. Horgan, P. Burke, P. Stringer, M. Horan, F. Sheahan, J. Hayes, P. O’Connell, D. O’Callaghan, A. Quinlan, A. Foley (captain), D. Wallace.

Replacements: D. Leamy for Wallace (64), G. McIlwham for Hayes (73, inj), P. Devlin for Kelly (83).

Referee: N. Whitehouse (Wales).