Munster keep hopes alive

Munster kept alive their hopes of reaching the last eight of the Heineken Cup despite their 26-19 defeat to Clermont.

The Irishmen put up a spirited second-half show to pick up a losing point to set for a shootout with Wasps at Thomond Park to see who will make it into the quarter-finals of the competition.

Wasps lead the pool on 18 points, however with Munster just three points behind it means that Saturday's clash is a winner-takes-all encounter.

Munster, though, could have been in a stronger position but were left to rue a poor first 40 minutes in France.

Clermont ran in tries from Pierre Mignoni and Mario Ledesma to lead 20-6 at the interval as they looked to secure a convincing win.

However a try by Lifiemi Mafi and the boot of Ronan O'Gara saw Munster come storming back - although by then they had left themselves with just too much to do.

Munster's cause was certainly helped as Clermont's Loic Jacquet, Julien Malzieu and Alexandre Audebert were all yellow carded.

O'Gara had given Munster the lead after 11 minutes with a penalty, however Clermont hit back emphatically.

Crashed

Scrum-half Mignoni stretched over for the first try seven minutes later, while Brock James slotted over the conversion and then two penalties.

Clermont then extended their lead when man-of-the-match Ledesma crashed over on 34 minutes.

Again James tagged on the extras, however Munster had the last word in the first half when O'Gara slotted over a penalty - with Jacquet sent to the sin bin.

Munster came out firing on all cylinders after the interval - especially as Clermont were reduced to 13 men when Malzieu joined Jacquet on the sidelines after a deliberate knock-on - only for James to kick the home side into a 23-6 lead.

The visitors were rewarded for their efforts when Mafi ghosted through the Clermont defence from 25m out and O'Gara converted.

Ireland No.10 O'Gara continued to eat into the deficit with two penalties, to see Munster trail 23-19 with three minutes left.

James put Clermont back into a seven-point lead, however the fly-half then missed a drop-goal attempt in the dying minutes to deny Munster the bonus point.