Munster survive shock

Heineken Cup holders Munster survived a huge scare as they took their first tentative step towards a trophy hat-trick with a 19-17 victory over Montauban.

The French side put up a brave show and were leading 17-16 with five minutes remaining before the hosts edged over the line.

Sylvain Jonnet's interception try after 56 minutes gave the away team scent of the biggest upset in Heineken Cup history.

But Ronan O'Gara kept his cool to edge Munster back ahead with a 65th minute penalty.

That looked to have been enough but when Peter Stringer was penalised for an offence at the scrum, Petre Mitu coolly stroked over the resulting penalty to give the Frenchmen renewed hope.

Their lead lasted barely a minute before the Irish side gained excellent field position and forced an error on the '22 to give O'Gara chance to land a decisive three points to rescue the hosts from an ignominious defeat. He made no mistake to spare the holders' blushes.

It was the visitors, making their first appearance in the competition, who took an early lead through scrum half Mitu's sixth minute penalty.

The Romanian could have doubled Montauban's advantage moments later but he dragged a straight-forward kick wide.

Munster enjoyed territorial advantage for much of the first period but a series of handling errors in the wet conditions saw them fail to take full advantage.

O'Gara drew them level with a 32nd minute penalty and the vocal Thomond Park crowd were lifted when substitute Barry Murphy crossed three minutes before the break to hand the Irish side a half-time lead.

Covering

Murphy, on moments earlier for Rua Tipoki, took the ball on the right wing following good passing and handling by Peter Stringer, O'Gara and Doug Howlett, before cutting inside to beat the covering defence.

O'Gara added the conversion to send Munster in 10-3 ahead at the interval and looking at an emphatic win in the second period.

But it was Montauban who put the first points on the board after the break courtesy of Mitu's right boot but O'Gara answered soon after to open up a seven-point margin once again.

Mitu gave the visitors hope with a further three points before a moment of madness by Alan Quinlan handed them a shock lead.

The Irish flanker looked to throw a long pass on halfway but the ball missed its intended target and was hacked forward for Jonnet to beat David Wallace to the touch down.

O'Gara had the chance to put Munster back into the lead two minutes later but his penalty struck the upright and was gathered under extreme pressure by centre Jean Viard who called for the mark.

The Irish stand-off did find his range on 65 minutes to edge the holders ahead again before Mitu, only assuming kicking duties in the absence of regular goal-kicker Favian Fortassin, put the away side within sight of a stunning win.

But with just three minutes left on the clock, the Irish side were awarded another penalty which O'Gara slotted home to end hopes of a stunning upset.