O’Gara’s rush of blood proves costly as one-week ban rules Munster star out of vital cup clash

There will be no Heineken Cup miracle match for Ronan O’Gara this weekend after the veteran fly-half picked up a one-week ban that rules him out of Sunday’s must-win final pool game with Racing Metro.

O’Gara, 34, the architect and executioner of so many of his province’s finest hours in European competition over the last 14 years, yesterday in Dublin paid the price for a rash swipe of his famous right boot to the back of Edinburgh lock Sean Cox’s legs during last Sunday’s round five game at Murrayfield.

It’s the first citing of O’Gara’s career and yesterday the Corkman appeared in front of independent judicial officer Jeff Blackett and entered a guilty plea to his contravention of Law 10.4(c), which pertains to the kicking of an opponent.