Munster 12-9 Northampton
Munster can now plan for a home quarter-final
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By Alistair Potter. |  |
Friday, 22, Jan 2010 09:51
By Martyn Thomas.
Munster survived the sin-binning of Lions skipper Paul O'Connell to secure the victory that handed them Pool One and a home quarter-final.
Fly-half Ronan O'Gara kicked all 12 points for the home side but the visitors will rue a series of missed kicks that hampered their chances of an historic win.
Northampton did manage a losing bonus point thanks to their three penalties, and will hope that they have done enough to go through as one of the best runners-up.
Before kick-off it looked like a tall order for Saints, who were bidding to become only the second team to win at Thomond Park.
And they made an improbable task even harder as they conceded a second-minute penalty for offside. O'Gara stepped up and put the home side 3-0 in front.
However, Munster didn't build on their early advantage and the away side began to grow into the game.
Shane Geraghty fired a drop-goal attempt wide when presented with an opportunity to level the scores, before O'Gara came up short with a penalty attempt from half-way.
A Bruce Reihana penalty gave the away side parity just after the half-hour mark. However, Munster were back in front before the break thanks to O'Gara's second penalty of the game.
Knowing only a win would do, Northampton came steaming out of the blocks in the second half and could have been in front but for some wayward kicking.
Both Reihana and Geraghty missed kicks, the latter offering up a contender for worst kick of the tournament, before he gathered his thoughts to put his team back on level terms.
However, O'Gara made Saints pay for their profligacy as he stepped up to nudge Munster back in front within five minutes.
His side were plunged onto the back foot though, as skipper Paul O'Connell was sin-binned after a sustained period of Saints pressure.
The away side went for the jugular but Munster withstood the pressure of Northampton's scrum and as they stole one against the head the crowd roared as if they had just scored a try.
For all Saints' possession over the next eight minutes they were unable to find the spare man and as O'Connell came back on, O'Gara was preparing to stretch Munster's lead further.
League-convert Stephen Myler came off the bench to score a late penalty and give Saints a bonus point, but while Munster can start planning for the quarters, they must now wait to see if they have done enough.
Munster: Warwick; Howlett, Earls, De Villiers, Dowling; O'Gara, O'Leary; Du Preez, Fogarty, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell (capt), Quinlan, Ronan, Wallace
Replacements: Varley, Horan, Buckley, Ryan, Coughlan, Stringer, Mafi, Gleeson
Pen: O'Gara (4)
Northampton: Foden; Ashton, Clarke, Downey, Reihana; Geraghty, Dickson; Tonga'uiha, Hartley (capt), Murray, Fernandez Lobbe, Kruger, Lawes, Dowson, Wilson
Replacements: Sharman, Waller, Mujati, Day, Best, Dickens, Myler, Mayor
Pen: Reihana, Geraghty, Myler
Ref: Romain Poite (FFR)