{"id":20779,"date":"2021-04-03T12:59:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-03T16:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=20779"},"modified":"2021-04-05T11:00:51","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T15:00:51","slug":"munster-out-of-heineken-cup-after-losing-to-toulouse-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=20779","title":{"rendered":"Munster Out Of Heineken Cup After Losing To Toulouse At Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16, Thomond Park, Limerick 3\/4\/2021 Munster vs Toulouse Munster’s JJ Hanrahan dejected after the game (\u00a9INPHO\/Dan Sheridan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>Toulouse won at Thomond Park for the first time in their storied Heineken Champions Cup history, defeating Munster 40-33 in an epic eight-try contest.<\/p>\n

France star Antoine Dupont came alive during the final quarter, touching down twice to supplement a stellar 20-point kicking contribution from Romain Ntamack.<\/p>\n

Munster led by seven points on three separate occasions \u2013 including at half-time (16-9) courtesy of two Keith Earls tries \u2013 but their season could not be salvaged. Toulouse will be away to Clermont Auvergne in next week\u2019s quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

A week on from their deflating Guinness PRO14 final loss to Leinster, Johann Van Graan\u2019s men were rocked when Chris Farrell was sin-binned for a third-minute trip on Cheslin Kolbe. Ntamack kicked the three points.<\/p>\n

Tadhg Beirne\u2019s effectiveness at the breakdown steadied Munster, and after Ntamack missed a long-range kick, Joey Carbery levelled from inside Toulouse\u2019s 22.<\/p>\n

Slick fly-half Ntamack made it 6-3 from a 17th-minute tap-over penalty, having threatened from a kick return, but Munster enjoyed the big moments in the second quarter.<\/p>\n

Springbok Damian De Allende created the 24th-minute opening for Earls to cut inside Maxime Medard and ground the ball in the left corner, past Selevasio Tolofua.<\/p>\n

De Allende was soon galloping through midfield, following a Gavin Coombes turnover, and Conor Murray passed wide for Earls to claim his second try in three minutes.<\/p>\n

Carbery failed with both conversions, and although Ntamack brought it back to 13-9, a Carbery penalty restored the seven-point difference at the break.<\/p>\n

Toulouse were on top when the second half begun, their power and pace forcing Munster \u2013 minus the injured Beirne \u2013 backwards and Ntamack\u2019s pinpoint 42nd-minute kick put winger Matthis Lebel over.<\/p>\n

The touchline conversion was superbly struck by Ntamack, wiping out Munster\u2019s lead, only for a Niall Scannell turnover \u2013 and a Murray snipe \u2013 to put the home side right back in scoring range.<\/p>\n

Big flanker Coombes delivered the goods, driving low from a tap penalty to muscle over. Following TMO confirmation, Carbery converted for a 23-16 scoreline.<\/p>\n

For the remaining half-hour, though, it was Toulouse who went through the gears. They used a close-in penalty to set up captain Julien Marchand to smash over for seven points beside the posts.<\/p>\n

Replacement JJ Hanrahan kicked Munster back in front at 26-23, before a Pita Ahki and Lebel-led break sent the supporting Dupont in behind the posts for a crucial 67th-minute converted try.<\/p>\n

Ntamack was successful with the second of two penalty attempts to make it 33-26, and Dupont produced another dagger to Munster hearts, scampering through for a 76th-minute try that had a long deliberation to rule out a knock-on.<\/p>\n

It was an important score as the Munstermen pulled one back past the 80-minute mark, Coombes crossing from close range after Peato Mauvaka\u2019s yellow card.<\/p>\n

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