Munster captain Anthony Foley ensured that Munster coach Alan Gaffney would have a Celtic Cup final send-off by scoring a last-minute try for a dramatic 23-17 semi-final win over Leinster at Lansdowne Road. Munster, the Celtic League runners-up, will return to Lansdowne Road to face the Scarlets next weekend after the sending off of fly-half David Holwell and Foley’s late score under the posts overturned Leinsters single point lead and left the home team shattered. Holwell was dismissed for an apparent knee-drop Peter Stringer’s head, and with the New Zealander off the pitch, Leinster’s 17-16 lead looked increasingly precarious. Munster were also down to 14 men at that stage following the sin-binning of flanker Alan Quinlan, Foley though, in his 140th game in Munster red, had the final word. Leinster began the game with the wind advantage and gained a six-point buffer after Holwell pushed over two lengthy penalties in the first seven minutes. Munster replied quickly with Foley’s quick tap setting up field position near the Leinster posts. Following an initial Paul Burke dart, prop Horan picked and drove over, punishing poor fringe defence from Malcolm O’Kelly. Burke converted for the lead. Holwell again had his kicking boots on and his 12th-minute penalty from 49m bounced up and over off the Munster crossbar. He cleared his fourth kick on the half-hour before Horgan was binned for a ruck offence. Despite conceding a Burke penalty on 33 minutes Leinster held on and defiant defence saw them go into the break with a 12-10 lead. Two neat Burke penalties saw Munster regain that lead but the tie turned in Leinster’s favour when Holwell linked with O’Driscoll to send full-back Girvan Dempsey haring in at the right corner after 52 minutes. Dempsey’s third try in three games went unconverted at 17-16 and Leinster had the most slender of leads. Munster however fought back and Foley’s 79th-minute try sadly meant retiring Leinster back row Victor Costello’s 11-year career ended in a home defeat that saw his side knocked out of the Celtic Cup.
