Gloucester crashed out of the Heineken Cup amid remarkable scenes in Limerick
as they were given a rugby lesson by magnificent Munster.
Munster, beaten European finalists in two of the past three seasons, outscored
Gloucester 4-0 on tries to win 33-6 after fly-half Ronan O'Gara masterminded
their startling Pool Two success.
Gloucester's failure to breach the Munster defence meant they made an early
exit from the tournament.
John Kelly clinched Munster's place in the knockout stages with an 80th-minute
touchdown, his second of the game which followed earlier scores by his fellow
wing Mossie Lawlor and lock Mick O'Driscoll.
O'Gara added 13 points from the boot, including a priceless final conversion
which ensured Munster's overall points difference was better than Gloucester's
after the teams finished 9-9 on tries.
Gloucester were a distant second-best, their only scores arriving through two
Ludovic Mercier penalties.
Munster progress as one of the two best runners-up, meaning they will be away
from home in April's quarter-finals.
A capacity 12,500 Thomond Park launched into numerous renditions of the Fields
of Athenry Munster anthem after French referee Joel Jutge sounded his final
whistle.
But Gloucester headed straight to the dressing rooms, scarcely believing what
had unfolded in front of them.
They might be runaway leaders of the Zurich Premiership, but this was a
different ball game completely. They could have absolutely no complaints about
the result.
Gloucester received a typical Thomond Park welcome - overcast skies and the
threat of rain - in addition to a capacity crowd.
But the Premiership leaders and Pool Two favourites realised they occupied
pole position in terms of a quarter-final place.
Munster knew victory was essential - plus a healthy try-count - to avoid a
first pool stage exit since 1998.
They were also protecting a 12-match unbeaten European record at Thomond Park,
their last loss in any competition having come during the Irish inter-provincial
championship against Leinster more than seven years ago.
Number eight Anthony Foley led Munster out, marking his 50th Heineken Cup
appearance, and the noise was deafening as Gloucester kicked off.
Gloucester centre Terry Fanolua was penalised for a high tackle inside the
opening four minutes, and O'Gara's touch-finder took Munster close to their
opponents' 22.
Munster drove the resulting line-out. But Gloucester's midfield defence coped
comfortably and then gained a penalty after the first ill-tempered flashpoint.
They were let down by full-back Henry Paul in the eighth minute, though, when
he went awol under a testing O'Gara up and under. His uncertainty resulted in
Gloucester conceding a penalty, and O'Gara found the target.
Gloucester's response was impressive, their forwards powering up field and
earning a penalty chance from which Mercier prospered to tie the scores.
Munster came desperately close to scoring the opening try on 13 minutes when
centre Mike Mullins broke through Mercier's weak challenge, but the supporting
Foley was held up within touching distance of Gloucester's line.
Gloucester could not hold out for much longer, though, and Munster broke
through after they opted for two five-metre scrums in quick succession instead
of kicking for goal.
Scrum-half Peter Stringer broke wide from the second one, and Kelly squeezed
over in the corner for a try which O'Gara only narrowly failed to convert.
The score stung Gloucester into action - and they established a territorial
foothold, keeping Munster on the back-foot as they battled to wipe out their
arrears.
Munster withstood the storm but continued to annoy referee Jutge through their
technical indiscipline - and Mercier landed a second penalty after 28 minutes,
narrowing Gloucester's deficit to 8-6.
O'Gara slotted his second penalty four minutes before the break, which sparked
another wave of attacking Munster play - and Paul was called upon to make a
desperate defensive clearance when Kelly chased O'Gara's cleverly-placed kick.
Gloucester flanker Peter Buxton was sin-binned for pulling down a maul as the
half drew to a close, and Munster immediately made their temporary one-man
advantage count when centre Jason Holland's chip into space saw Lawlor touch
down.
O'Gara could not convert. But Munster still enjoyed a healthy interval lead,
16-6 ahead.
Gloucester's woes continued after the break, Olivier Azam following Buxton
into the sin-bin after O'Driscoll scored - and then Kelly administered the final
astonishing act.
O'Gara's conversion sent Thomond Park into raptures, and the Munster dream
lives on.
Gloucester, in stark contrast, could only contemplate what might have been.
Teams:
Munster: Staunton, Kelly, Mullins, Holland, Lawlor, O'Gara,
Stringer, Horan, Sheahan, Hayes, O'Callaghan, M. O'Driscoll,
Williams, Quinlan, Foley.
Not Used: Blaney, Cahill, Galwey, Leamy, Prendergast, Keane,
McMahon.
Tries: Kelly 2, Lawlor, M. O'Driscoll.
Cons: O'Gara 2.
Pens: O'Gara 3.
Gloucester: Paul, Simpson-Daniel, Fanolua, Todd, Delport,
Mercier, Gomarsall, Roncero, Azam, Vickery, Fidler, Cornwell,
Boer, Buxton, Paramore.
Not Used: Stuart-Smith, Amor, Beim, Collins, Deacon, Hazell,
Eustace.
Pens: Mercier 2.
Att: 12,500
Ref: Joel Jutge (France).
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