Leinster went into the game looking for an historic European and league double and on the back of the European cup final fight back they were more than ready for the game against the old foe but ask anyone in Limerick and they would tell you that there was no way that Munster could lose.
With Thomond Park at full capacity and the Munster fans in full voice the game got under way at a frantic pace and it was only 6 minutes in when Leinster were given the opportunity to put the first points on the board with a mid-range penalty kick at goal but the normally reliable Jonny Sexton completely fluffed the kick and the Munster fans breathed a shy of relief. It was Munster's turn next to take the opportunity to get points on the board and from a break down the wing the ball was recycled out and across the pitch for Doug Howlett to go in at the corner for Munsters first try against Leinster in 6 games. O'Gara converted and Munster were ahead.
Leinster were at times brilliant with ball in hand but never had sustained periods of dominance which was needed and with Heaslip and O'Brien never really getting into their stride Leinster were looking tired from their Heineken Cup victory. Munster were thou helping to keep Leinster in the game by giving away too many penalties on the opening 30 minutes and from one of them Sexton converted and took the difference to only 4 points.
As you would expect with a Munster Leinster clash the players tempers at times got the better of them and Marcus Horan was lucky not to see yellow when he took out Brian O'Driscoll in and off the ball incident. Similarly Nathan Hines was lucky to stay on the field when he got his own back on Horan at a ruck.
Just before the end of the half O'Gara tried to increase the points gap with a drop goal but was well off target and the first half ended Munster 7-3 Leinster.
Leinster came out in the second half at a frantic pace and were bombarding the Munster line with sustained pressure but only for Munster to produce some fantastic defence. With Munster fighting to stop Leinster from crossing the line it was only a matter of time before somebody gave away a penalty and it was Donncha O'Callaghan for not rolling away who seen yellow and 10 minutes in the sin bin with Sexton kicking over the resulting penalty to bring the to within a single point.
With one man more Leinster looked to take the advantage and continued put pressure on the Munster line but they were met with a red wall and could not break through.
O'Callaghan's return was then greeted with him giving away another penalty and Sexton took his chance to overall Munster and take his team 2 points clear.
Making two changes to their front row Munster then began to take control of the tight game and with Munster having the advantage from a penalty the ball went back to O'Gara who instead of going for the anticipated drop goal floated a beautiful kick across field to the waiting hands of Earls who finished brilliantly in the corner to take Munster back into the lead. The conversion was missed meaning that the difference was only 3 points in Munster favour.
Doug Howlett then almost single handily provided the try of the season when he took off on a run from just inside his own half which saw him leave the now exhausted Leinster defence in his wake but he failed to get his final pass away and Leinster lived to fight again.
Time was now running out for Leinster and with Munsters pack so dominating up front they turned down the chance at a kick to goal from a penalty for the option of a scrum from which after a string of offences referee Nigel Owens had no option other than to go under the posts and award the penalty try and from which O'Gara converted.
Munster ran out 19 points to 9 winners over Leinster and even though it was not the Heineken Cup the celebrations at Thomond Park were a great sight to see. Before the game it was said that Leinster wanted to win but that Munster needed to win and in the ended that is what was the difference.
