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Munster claim second Heineken Cup
16 - 13
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff   Att: 74,417
Saturday 24th May 2008, 17:00
MatchDayLive - Live audio and text tracking
  • Heineken Cup Final highlights: Munster v Toulouse
20080524_final_300
Cardiff's Millennium Stadium 2008 Heineken Cup final
Match report
Munster won their second Heineken Cup title in three seasons with a nail-biting 16-13 triumph over Toulouse.

Denis Leamy’s first half try was supported by 11 points from the ice-cool Ronan O’Gara as head coach Declan Kidney was handed the perfect send-off.

Kidney masterminded another European crown but he now leaves Munster to take on the Ireland job.

Yves Donguy gave Toulouse a lifeline with his second half score but O’Gara clinched victory with his third penalty with 15 minutes remaining.

Toulouse went in search of their fourth Heineken Cup title while Munster returned to the scene of their 2006 triumph.

Munster are the only side to have reached the knock-out stages in the past decade.

The final pumped £20 million into Cardiff and a large proportion of that income came from the Irishmen who invaded the Welsh capital.

The Red Army from Cork and Limerick came in their thousands to say a fond farewell to head coach Declan Kidney who takes up the Ireland job.

Munster had tasted both joy and despair at the Millennium Stadium on their previous two visits.

Declan Kidney’s men snatched victory for their first Heineken Cup title against Biarritz but also suffered heartbreak to Leicester Tigers in 2002.

And Kidney’s last stand came against the Real Madrid of rugby and legendary Toulouse coach Guy Noves.

Noves was present when the French outfit won their first title in Cardiff back in 1996 but this time he was without joint leading try scorer Vincent Clerc through injury.

Captains Febian Pelous and Paul O’Connell led their sides into a cauldron of noise at the Millennium Stadium.

Toulouse had the first opportunity to open the scoring but Jean-Baptiste Elissalde pulled his fourth minute penalty attempt wide.

But Elissalde cooly slotted home two minutes later to hand Toulouse the lead.

French centre Yannick Jauzion beat Munster full-back Denis Hurley to the high ball and Elissalde made no mistake from close-range.

It was one-way traffic from Toulouse who continued to pile on the pressure in the opening quarter.

But Munster remained just three points adrift thanks to their committed defence.

And in the Irishmen’s first attack on the half hour mark, Hurley was stopped just shy of the try-line following Doug Howlett‘s mazy run.

Munster were gathering momentum and number eight Denis Leamy was denied by video referee Derek Bevan after he dropped the ball with the line at his mercy.

But after a series of close-range drives, Leamy powered over for the first try of a compelling encounter.

O’Gara extended the lead with the conversion and then a penalty to nudge Munster seven points clear.

And Kidney’s men were handed a boost when Pelous was yellow-carded for kneeing Alan Quinlan in the backside in the 50th minute.

O’Gara kicked another penalty but Toulouse hit back when a moment of genius from Cedric Heymans brought the three-times champions back in the contest.

Yves Donguy added the finishing touch after Heymans’ delightful chip and chase released Jauzion who beat O’Gara to the chase.

Elissalde converted to tie the scores before O‘Gara booted his third penalty to put Munster back in front with 15 minutes remaining.
Munster V Toulouse
  P D C T Pos Player Player Pos T C D P  






Darragh Hurley
15
Cédric Heymans












Doug Howlett
14
Maxime Medard












Rua Tipoki
13
Maleli Kunavore












Lifeimi Mafi
12
Yannick Jauzion












Ian Dowling
11
Yves Donguy

1



Replacement off

3

1


Ronan O'Gara
10
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde


1
1
1







Tomas O'Leary
9
Byron Kelleher






Replacement off





Marcus Horan
1
Daan Human












Jerry Flannery
2
William Servat












John Hayes
3
Salvatore Perugini





Replacement off






Donncha O'Callaghan
4
Fabien Pelous (capt)





Yellow card
Replacement off





Paul O'Connell (capt)
5
Patricio Albacete





Replacement off
Man of the Match





Alan Quinlan
6
Jean Bouilhou





Replacement off






David Wallace
7
Thierry Dusautoir





Replacement off




1

Denis Leamy
8
Shaun Sowerby






Replacements






Frankie Sheahan
16
Alberto Vernet Basualdo






Replacement on





Tony Buckley
17
Jean-Baptiste Poux





Replacement on
Replacement on





Mick O'Driscoll
18
Romain Millo-Chluski





Replacement on






Donnacha Ryan
19
Yannick Nyanga





Replacement on






Peter Stringer
20
Florian Fritz












Paul Warwick
21
Manu Ahotaeiloa





Replacement on






Keith Earls
22
Grégory Lamboley





Replacement on
Penalty Tries
0
0
Results so far
Munster
Date Stage Opposition Score
24/5/08 Final Toulouse W 16-13
27/4/08 Semi Finals Saracens W 18-16
5/4/08 Quarter Finals Gloucester Rugby W 16-3
19/1/08 Pool 5 London Wasps W 19-3
13/1/08 Pool 5 ASM Clermont Auvergne L 19-26
16/12/07 Pool 5 Llanelli Scarlets W 22-13
8/12/07 Pool 5 Llanelli Scarlets W 29-16
18/11/07 Pool 5 ASM Clermont Auvergne W 36-13
10/11/07 Pool 5 London Wasps L 23-24
Toulouse
Date Stage Opposition Score
24/5/08 Final Munster L 13-16
26/4/08 Semi Finals London Irish W 21-15
6/4/08 Quarter Finals Cardiff Blues W 41-17
19/1/08 Pool 6 Edinburgh Rugby W 34-10
12/1/08 Pool 6 Leinster L 13-20
16/12/07 Pool 6 Leicester Tigers W 22-11
8/12/07 Pool 6 Leicester Tigers L 9-14
18/11/07 Pool 6 Leinster W 33-6
10/11/07 Pool 6 Edinburgh Rugby W 19-15
Related news
Previous Heineken Cup meetings
Date Stage Home Score Away
Sat 24th May 08 Final Munster 16 - 13 Toulouse
Sat 26th Apr 03 Semi Finals Toulouse 13 - 12 Munster
Sat 6th May 00 Semi Finals Toulouse 25 - 31 Munster
Sat 2nd Nov 96 Pool D Toulouse 60 - 19 Munster
Heineken CupHistory
Munster
2007/08 - Champions
2006/07 - Quarter Finals
2005/06 - Champions
2004/05 - Quarter Finals
2003/04 - Semi Finals
2002/03 - Semi Finals
2001/02 - Runners up
2000/01 - Semi Finals
1999/00 - Runners up
1998/99 - Quarter Finals
1997/98 - Pool D
1996/97 - Pool D
1995/96 - Pool D
Toulouse
2007/08 - Runners up
2006/07 - Pool 5
2005/06 - Quarter Finals
2004/05 - Champions
2003/04 - Runners up
2002/03 - Champions
2001/02 - Pool 6
2000/01 - Pool 3
1999/00 - Semi Finals
1998/99 - Quarter Finals
1997/98 - Semi Finals
1996/97 - Semi Finals
1995/96 - Champions
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