Quins rise to challenge
Harlequins produced a superb first-half display to set up a 20-12 victory at Munster in the Challenge Cup semi-final.
Last Updated: 30/04/11 5:15pm
Harlequins produced a superb first-half display to set up a 20-12 victory over Munster in the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final, just the second time a visiting team has won a European fixture at Thomond Park.
The Aviva Premiership outfit enjoyed 78 per cent possession during the opening 40 minutes, which they turned into a 14-7 lead thanks to tries from George Robson and Danny Care.
Munster kept themselves in touch with a score of their own from Felix Jones in the 39th minute but Quins fly-half Rory Clegg, on for the injured Nick Evans, landed two penalties to extend his side's advantage to 13 points entering the final 20 minutes.
Despite losing Nick Easter to a second yellow card and conceding a late try to Doug Howlett, Harlequins held on for a famous win.
They advance to a final showdown with Stade Francais at Cardiff City Stadium on May 20.
Dominance
Harlequins took the game to their opponents right from the off and were rewarded in the ninth minute with the opening try.
Gonzalo Camacho beat two men down the left flank and the ball was then spun across the field through several pairs of hands to give Robson a simple finish.
Evans landed the conversion and the English side continued to dominate, forcing Munster into tackle after tackle.
In the first 15 minutes alone, the men in red made 48 tackles to their opponents' eight and many of those were in positions close to their own line.
It was only Evans' misfiring boot that prevented them gaining further reward, the New Zealander twice missing with three-point attempts.
The pressure did eventually tell with a second try, the TMO Giulio De Sancis ruling Care had got the ball down on the whitewash from close range.
Care was forced to add the extras himself as half-back partner Evans was struggling with a knee injury.
Munster, having been totally outplayed, grabbed a lifeline in the final minute of the opening half when Jones capped their first sustained attack with a try after they had opted to kick a penalty to the corner.
The full-back, lurking wide on the right, straightened the angle to beat opposite number Mike Brown after the ball had been moved out quickly from a ruck in front of the posts. Ronan O'Gara's conversion cut the deficit to just seven points.
Cavalry
Munster brought on the experienced trio of John Hayes, Paul O'Connell and Sam Tuitupou for the start of the second half, while Quins stand-off Evans was unable to continue any futher and made way for Clegg.
O'Connell immediately called two lineouts to himself to provide the platform for some go-forward as the home support found renewed voice.
Tempers had been close to the boil throughout and it was no great surprise when Donncha O'Callaghan and Nick Easter were both shown yellow cards after a brief scuffle.
Clegg padded Harlequins' advantage to 20-7 with a couple of sweetly-struck penalties before the TMO was once again called into action to determine George Lowe had not been taken out and denied a try as he closed on a bouncing ball.
That was a rare breakout with Munster by now dictating proceedings, Howlett twice being denied a try as referee Romain Poite spotted forward passes; both correct decisions.
Harlequins played the final 10 minutes a man light after Easter was sent off for a second yellow card, this time for hands in the ruck close to his own line.
Howlett did finally get his name on the scoresheet in the 77th minute but O'Gara's failure to land the touchline conversion sealed Munster's fate.
