Munster lead at half time

Munster 6 Leicester 5

The men of Munster turned the Millennium Stadium into a sea of red this afternoon as the Irish side tried to stop Leicester from becoming the first side to retain the Heineken Cup.

While one of Munster’s most famous sons achieved his wish of being able to watch the game on television by being sent home from the football World Cup in disgrace, 30,000 travellers from the Irish province headed into Cardiff by more conventional means.

The frenzied pre-match atmosphere was trapped by the stadium roof which was closed to keep out the squally weather in the Welsh capital.

After irking the four-time English champions by refusing to confirm his team yesterday, Munster coach Declan Kidney named the side most had expected.

Lions centre Rob Henderson and lock Paul O’Connell had recovered from ankle and shoulder injuries respectively, while John O’Neill was named on the wing following the midweek loss of Anthony Horgan with two broken fingers.

Munster’s previous final appearance ended in a single point loss to Northampton two years ago, and they were determined their hearts wouldn’t be broken by an English side again.

Leicester had other ideas, even if last year’s last-gasp match-winner Leon Lloyd was also missing with a hand problem.

The maverick talents of Austin Healey were deployed at fly-half, with Samoan winger Freddie Tuilagi squaring up to 16st 5lb O’Neill in a potentially explosive clash in front of a capacity crowd, bigger than that which attended the recent FA Cup final.

However, in a contest many believed was too tight to call, the major battleground was bound to be in the front row, where legendary prop Peter Clohessy was making the final appearance of an illustrious Munster career.

Leicester thought they had made a sensational start when Dominic Crotty allowed Tim Stimpson’s high kick to bounce and Tuilagi rose highest to collect and charge over.

With just 35 seconds on the clock it would have been the perfect opening for the Tigers but the cheers of their supporters were stifled when referee Joel Jutge harshly ruled Tuilagi had impeded John Kelly as he leapt.

Stimpson had the chance to put his team in front with a 40-metre penalty but managed distance but no accuracy.

Ronan O’Gara made him pay after six minutes when he put Munster in front with his first penalty chance after Graham Rowntree had gone over the top at a ruck.

Stimpson’s incredible kick against Llanelli had put Leicester into the final but his luck was out as the Tigers advanced from the restart when his speculative drop-goal attempt sailed wide.

Leicester’s ill luck continued when a Frankie Sheahan line-out throw close to his own line was collected by Martin Johnson, who barged over.

However, yet again, Jutge ruled against the Tigers, claiming the line-out had not been taken from the correct position.

Sheahan tried again, and again Johnson collected. This time Jutge decided Leicester had too many men committed to the line and penalised them once more.

Johnson was visibly angered, throwing the ball in Jutge’s general direction, although more in

frustration than bitterness.

O’Gara’s half break was brought to a crunching end by Tuilagi as the relentless action continued.

Stimpson was caught by an equally solid tackle from David Wallace, then Jamie Hamilton’s poor pass from the ruck saw Healey dumped by Sheahan.

Crotty was not enjoying the most comfortable of afternoons and failed to trap Stimpson’s deep kick as Leicester recycled possession again, gifting the Tigers a scrum 30 metres out.

However, Jutge blew against them again, claiming Darren Garforth had not bound himself into the scrum.

Lewis Moody was the next Leicester man to infringe, charging into the side of a ruck, giving O’Gara a straightforward 40-metre penalty which he slotted over with ease.

Healey opened up the Munster defence with an impish crossfield burst, but when Geordan Murphy took Stimpson’s pass on the right wing, he stepped inside rather than heading for the line and had the ball stolen in the tackle.

Munster skipper Mick Galwey exchanged heated words with Healey as the game teetered on the brink of open warfare.

Leicester were looking the more fluent side and opened up to grab the first try on 25 minutes.

Rod Kafer fed Tuilagi on halfway, and he found Stimpson at full pace on his outside.

There wasn’t much room, but Stimpson created more by selling Crotty an outrageous dummy and after stepping inside Peter Stringer, sent Murphy scampering over the line.

However, after those heroics, Stimpson let himself down by missing the simple conversion which would have put Leicester in front.

The penalties were now starting to go the Tigers way and Jutge ruled in their favour after Stimpson was buried by an avalanche of Munster tacklers after collecting O’Gara’s bouncing kick 20 metres out.

Munster’s line-out was looking shaky but their covering defence was magnificent and Leicester struggled to make ground, although Murphy did produce a 20-metre sidestepping burst before releasing Stimpson, whose grubber kick flicked off a Munster defender and into touch.

Leicester were under pressure almost straight from the restart when Martin Corry fumbled Crotty’s towering kick.

It could have been even worse as Neil Back failed to gather the loose ball and O’Neill advanced before Stimpson grounded the ball inside his own in-goal area.

Johnson uncharacteristically missed a series of tackles as Munster pressed forward, then Back and Alan Quinlan were involved in shoving match before Johnson redeemed himself by pinching another Munster line-out.

Garforth was penalised for a scrum infringement on halfway after 47 minutes and the sweetest of strikes by O’Gara soared between the uprights to put Munster four points clear.

Hamilton and Stimpson exchanged needlessly long passes as Munster increased the tempo and the scrum-half paid the price, twisting in the tackle as the Irish defenders arrived, suffering a leg injury which eventually saw him carried off.

Youngster Harry Ellis unlucky to miss out on a starting berth anyway eagerly sprinted on, followed shortly afterwards by Jim Williams, who took over from Munster number eight Anthony Foley.

Ellis’ improved delivery at least gave Leicester a platform to work off, although the Munster tackling remained strong.

Healey did weave his way through but found little support before Munster spoiled a traditional Leicester line-out catch and drive.

However, the Tigers regrouped and drove forward towards the Munster line.

The Irish outfit had already infringed when Ellis swept a pass away from the touchline to his right.

Healey snapped onto the ball, shuffled his feet, skipped out of O’Gara’s tackle and danced under the posts, giving Stimpson the easiest of conversions.