Birthday boy Barry Everitt booted London Irish into the Powergen Cup final after a dramatic last-four clash against Harlequins at The Stoop.

Fly-half Everitt kicked 22 points, landing all eight of his shots at goal, including two priceless penalties during the final five minutes after Quins produced a sensational fight-back.

Irish romped into a 26-0 lead after just 30 minutes and they made the most of a strong wind at their backs, but Quins showed what they were made of by wiping out that deficit.

Beaten cup finalists last season, Quins were desperate for a Twickenham return to salvage something from a dismal season.

Languishing at the Zurich Premiership basement following eight successive league defeats, they went into the semi-final with a change of coach as Mark Evans moved into the hotseat instead of John Kingston.

But things could not have started in a worse fashion as Everitt landed two early penalties and then converted Irish player-coach's Brendan Venter's 15th-minute try.

With the wind in their faces Quins just could not escape from their own 22, and two further Everitt penalties meant they trailed 19-0 inside the opening quarter.

Worse was to follow though, when 10 minutes before the break Irish full-back Michael Horak exploded through a huge defensive hole from 30 metres out for a try that Everitt improved.

Quins were in danger of being humiliated but with captain Jason Leonard rallying his troops, they crucially hit back through 10 unanswered points just before half-time.

Lock Alex Codling powered over from close range for a try, and fly-half Paul Burke's conversion, followed by a short-range penalty, at least gave the home side a glimmer of hope as they changed ends 26-10 adrift.

Burke's second successful penalty got Quins off to a purposeful start in the second period, and hopes of a miraculous revival were further raised on 55 minutes when they added their second try.

Irish could not cope with a driving Quins eight from a line-out, and hooker Ace Tiatia grabbed the touch down for Burke to convert.

Quins had somehow recovered to just 26-20 adrift, and not even the sight of their young full-back David Slemen being carried off on a stretcher with his neck in a collar could disrupt their concentration.

Irish, after dominating the first half, were suddenly all at sea, and the comeback looked to be complete 12 minutes from time when Quins' number eight Tony Diprose claimed their third try.

Burke's conversion inched Quins into a 27-26 advantage, but it was to all go wrong during the closing few minutes.

Quins' flanker Pat Sanderson limped off injured, and then the finale belonged to Everitt, who celebrated his 26th birthday with two match-winning kicks.

Irish moved through to their first English cup final since Leicester beat them 22 years ago, but Quins agonisingly failed to reach HQ for the second year in succession, and the remainder of their campaign will now be a nervous battle against relegation.

Teams:

Harlequins: D. Slemen, Jewell, Greenwood, Burrows, Luger, Burke, Duncombe, Leonard, Tiatia, Olver, Codling, White-Cooper, Winters, Sanderson, Diprose.

Replacements: Gollings for D. Slemen (63), Morgan for White-Cooper (27), Sheriff for Sanderson (75).

Not Used: Fuga, Starr, M. Powell, Bell.

Tries: Codling, Tiatia, Diprose.

Cons: Burke 3.

Pens: Burke 2.

London Irish: Horak, Sackey, Appleford, Venter, Bishop, Everitt, Martens, Hardwick, Kirke, Halford, Strudwick, Williams, Halvey, Danaher, Sheasby.

Replacements: Edwards for Martens (46), Wheatley for Hardwick (52), Drotske for Kirke (46), Delaney for Williams (67).

Not Used: Brown, Hoadley, Pfister.

Tries: Venter, Horak.

Cons: Everitt 2.

Pens: Everitt 6.

Att: 9,000

Ref: S Leyshon (RFU).