Rugby Union: All-Ireland dream over

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Apr 27, 2003 | by CATHAL DERVAN

TREVOR BRENNAN became the first Leinster man to win a place in the Heineken Cup final - but the dream of an All-Ireland European showdown is over.

The exiled Kildare native helped Toulouse into the Lansdowne Road final on May 24, where they will face his old team Leinster or Perpignan, who meet in Ballsbridge in the second semi-final this afternoon.

Former Ireland flanker Brennan, in his first season with the crack French side, left Le Stade Toulousain with a smile on his face as wide as the Liffey itself.

But it was all doom and gloom for Alan Gaffney's Red Army as they suffered their third defeat by just one point in four years in either the semis or final of the Heineken Cup.

And this after they had held the upper hand from the moment Ronan O'Gara landed his first drop goal in the 13th minute until a killer try from Frederic Michalak and a conversion by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde in the 75th minute. The 53rd-minute introduction of Elissalde for Yann Delaigue, and the switch of Michalak to scrum- half, proved Munster's undoing.

And Brennan, of all people, was the instigator, releasing the ball from a ruck on the Munster 22 in the build-up to the crucial score. Elissalde fed Michalak, the versatile fly-half touched down in the left corner and Elissalde kicked the crucial conversion.

The magnificent boot of O'Gara had kept the visitors more than in touch, as they built a 6-3 interval lead.

But their failure to create try opportunities cost them dear, with wingers John Kelly and Anthony Horgan receiving little of the ball.

TOULOUSE Tries: Michalak. Cons: Elissalde. Pens: Delaigue, Elissalde.

MUNSTER Pens: O'Gara 2. Drop goals: O'Gara 2.