Munster through to Heineken Cup final

Castres 17, Munster 25 (full-time)

Munster are through to the Heineken Cup final for the second time in three years after disposing of Castres at Beziers.

In a game that saw no tries until injury time, it was left to to Ronan O’Gara and Romain Teulet to battle for points, and Castres’ errors put the advantage in Munster’s hands.

The match began with both teams immediately trying to stamp their mark on the game by moving the ball.

Castres launched an incisive attack deep into the Munster 22 after the Munstermen threw the ball too deep at a line out, but Munster were awarded a penalty to ease the pressure as Castres failed to release in the tackle.

Three minutes later Mick Galwey conceded a penalty for use of the boot in a ruck but Castres' attempt fell short.

Munster were dealt a blow in the 15th minute when Anthony Foley had to go off with a shoulder injury.

Matters got worse as props Brent Moyle and Peter Clohessy were then sent to the sin bin for a brief dust up. Romain Teulet kicked the resultant penalty to put Castres ahead.

Castres infringed at the scrum to give Ronan O'Gara the chance to reply immediately for Munster, but his kick sailed to the left and wide of the posts.

Munster then won another penalty after a maul took them 20 yards upfield and kick it into the corner.

Castres repelled their forward drive and when Munster spun the ball wide they were penalised.

Five minutes later Munster came in from the side and conceded a kickable penalty.

The diminutive Teulet knocked it over from 46m to extend Castres' lead. He extended it further minutes later when Munster fell offside in front of their posts after a surging Castres attack.

Ireland had a golden chance of a try with two minutes of the first half remaining but Dominic Crotty knocked on in the tackle with the line at his mercy.

However, there was some respite when Munster were awarded a penalty right in front of the posts and O'Gara knocked it over to get them on the board before the break. O’Gara then scored another to bring Munster closer in first-half injury-time.

The French side went to the dressingroom three points ahead at 9-6.

Munster began the second half the way they finished the first and the half was only two minutes old when the sides were level.

Castres turned over the ball, and Scotland fly-half Gregor Townsend went over the top at the resulting ruck. O'Gara kicked the penalty to level the scores.

Castres’ mistakes were beginning to take a toll on the scoreboard as they fell offside midway inside their own half in the 51st minute and in line with the posts after a good burst from Munster.

O'Gara's aim was accurate to put Munster in the lead for the first time.

Munster had the better of the half with 20 minutes gone and Castres wing Shaun Longstaff just managed to get back and touch the ball down ahead of two Munster chasers after a threatening Irish attack.

O’Gara then kicked an angled penalty from distance to extend Munster's lead and spark delerium from the 8,000 strong travelling Munster fans in the stands.

The out half missed the next penalty awarded after a Castres player kicked out on the floor, but O'Gara sent it to the right of the posts.

Munster then fell offside in their 22 and Teulet kicked the penalty to give Castres their first score in more than half an hour.

O’Gara then made amends for his earlier misses after Gregor Townsend was penalised for a high tackle. The Irish international slotted over the penalty from two feet inside his own half to put Munster six clear again - at 18-12, with eight minutes to go.

Munster piled pressure on a Castres side that had begun to tire and an injury time try by John Kelly - converted by Ronan O’Gara - put 13 between the sides and effectively sealed the win for the away side.

Shaun Longstaff went over for a consolation try for the French, but Gregor Townsend missed the conversion to leave the final score at 25-17.

Munster now face the winners of Leicester Tigers and Llanelli in the final on May 25.