European champions Munster ended Leicester's imperious 26-match unbeaten home record as they began their Heineken Cup defence with a thrilling 21-19 victory at Welford Road.

Fly-half Ronan O'Gara, who had courted considerable pre-match controversy through his scathing criticism of English rugby, booted a match-winning penalty two minutes from time.

O'Gara found the target from a metre inside his own half, and an Andy Goode-inspired Leicester revival was finally quelled.

It was Leicester's first defeat on home soil since Biarritz beat them in January last year, and they now face an uphill struggle to reach the quarter-finals from Pool Four.

Substitute Goode though, took them agonisingly close to a famous win, kicking two penalties and a conversion after he replaced former Munster fly-half Paul Burke at half-time.

Leicester also claimed a penalty try following incessant scrum pressure, but Munster displayed trademark character in adversity to prevail.

Lock Donncha O'Callaghan and flanker David Wallace scored first-half tries, while O'Gara added two penalties, a drop-goal and conversion to suggest the trophy will take some prising from Munster's grasp this season.

Leicester suffered a late blow when Irish international Geordan Murphy withdrew from the starting line-up due to an eye problem. He was replaced by Johnny Murphy, while Tom Varndell returned from a loan spell with Bedford to wear Tigers' number 11 shirt.

Tigers head coach Pat Howard sprung a surprise at fly-half, where Burke was preferred to England international Goode, and Martin Castrogiovanni continued at tighthead prop instead of Julian White.

Munster fielded 13 of the team that started last season's Heineken Cup final against Biarritz in Cardiff as they looked to end Leicester's long unbeaten home record.

And the visitors made a dream start, giving their predictably large travelling contingent of supporters cause for celebration after just nine minutes.

Heavy rain made handling treacherous, and when Tigers scrum-half Scott Bemand spilled possession on halfway, Munster made him pay in spectacular fashion as O'Callaghan displayed the pace of a three-quarter to sprint 50 metres for an outstanding opening try.

O'Gara missed the conversion, but was on hand to land a straight-forward drop-goal eight minutes later after Burke opened Leicester's account through a penalty.

Burke, though, missed two further penalties in quick succession as Tigers toiled for a territorial foothold, while captain Martin Corry dropped the ball in midfield during an otherwise promising spell of Leicester pressure.

Leicester continued to create chances, using Corry as their main ball-carrier, but Munster weathered the storm during an increasingly attritional contest, and they moved further ahead just before half-time.

Wing John Kelly pierced Leicester's defence, brushing off the combined challenge of Bemand and Leo Cullen to threaten a try.

Back-tracking Leicester defenders hauled him down, but they could not prevent supporting flanker Wallace from touching down before O'Gara added the extras for a comfortable advantage that a second Burke penalty reduced to 15-6 at the break.

Burke's contribution ended at the break as Goode took over, and the tactical switch almost reaped an immediate reward when Goode's clever kick into space narrowly eluded centre Daryl Gibson.

Howard made further changes during the third quarter, sending on White and scrum-half Harry Ellis to provide fresh impetus, while Munster were forced into a change when Anthony Foley suffered an arm injury that saw him replaced by Alan Quinlan.

Goode's arrival gave Leicester a renewed sense of urgency, but although he landed a 53rd-minute penalty, Munster's defence held firm as the Tigers tried numerous different ways of unlocking it.

O'Gara restored a nine-point advantage with his first successful penalty, yet Leicester were in no mood to concede defeat and they staged a magnificent pack-led response.

Concerted pressure led to six successive scrums just five metres out from Munster's line, and referee Nigel Owens' patience finally snapped as he awarded the home side a penalty try that Goode converted.

Before Munster could regain their composure, they fell behind for the first time, conceding a penalty 45 metres out that Goode sent majestically soaring between the posts.

It was a superb fightback from Leicester, whose forwards simply relished the stamina-sapping conditions. Munster though, were not finished.

The visitors dredged every ounce of effort from tiring bodies, and when Leicester's Irish flanker Shane Jennings infringed, O'Gara landed his mighty match-winning penalty.