By Tadhg Peavoy
9.40pm: That was a game for rucking and playing things tight and Munster - as is their style - did just that. As I said at half-time this game would come down to solid set-pieces and making few errors. Munster's experience told in the end as they ground down a determined Northampton effort.
Geraghty was just too erratic at out-half for Saints. His kicking was either ridiculous or sublime. By contrast O'Gara had a superb game. Great place-kicking and assured tactical decision-making from O'Gara goes a long way to explaining why Munster came out on top in Thomond.
Saints will look back on two missed penalties and losing a scrum on the Munster line, with the Munster pack down to 7-men, as the moments were the game hung in the balance.
Tough game: great result for Munster. Let's hope for a few more tries from Leinster and Ulster tomorrow!
Right, thanks for joining us as always. See y'after.
RESULT: Munster 12-9 Northampton
79 mins: Munster set-up a ruck in the Saints 22. The first time they have been in Saints 22 in this half really. Buckley picks and drives for Munster. The Reds are slowing it down and playing a possession game. But, Munster are holding on and penalty Saints. We are in stoppage time and it's too late for Saints to do anything with the ball. They kick to touch and the whistle blows for full-time.
77 mins: Line-out Munster from the kick-off, it's scrappy in the air and Day wins it for Saints. SL Tonga'uiha blasts through the midfield, but the pass from Dickson to Best is woeful. Horan turns it over and kicks the ball up to Foden at the back.
76 mins: PENALTY: Myler to kick the resulting penalty from outside the Munster 22. 12-9.
75 mins: Munster concede another penalty for bringing the scrum down.
73 mins: Saints have a line-out in their 22. Kruger takes it well. The ball is not coming out of the ruck at all. Saints going forward and they will get the put in.
73 minutes: Neil Best comes on for Geraghty. Can he change the outcome of this match.
72 minutes: Geraghty puts the ball directly into touch from the restart. Schoolboy error!
69 mins: Scrum Saints. It's all Saints now with O'Connell binned. Geraghty chips ahead but O'Leary is under it. The ball is fed back to O'Gara. He kicks to Foden, who returns to O'Gara. More kicking, O'Gara to Geraghty. Saints set up. Munster win the ball at the breakdown. Saints just can't handle the Munster rucking. O'Connell returns from the sin-bin. PENALTY: O'Gara steps up, inside the halfway. He slots it with ease 12-6.
68 mins: Lineout Saints in their own 22. Day is popped the ball from Dickson going forward.
67 mins: Varley is on for Fogarty and he throws to O'Callaghan. Then O'Leary box kicks the ball away - slicing it.
65 mins: ROG hoofs it downfield. Saints run it back to halfway and then Geraghty kicks to the corner. All the pressure is on Munster - they need concentration now.
64 mins: O'Leary clears but Saints set up in the 22. This is dogged from both sides. Ashtown kicks away possession, stupidly. Warwick grounds the ball in the dead-ball area.
61 mins: Quinlan steps into the second row for O'Connell. The scrum collapses again. Munster twist the scrum - they are really in trouble now. Penalty Saints. O'Gara is trying to tell the ref they had the ball. He won't listen, his decison is made. Saints are close to a penalty try being awarded. But, they lose it! The 7-man Munster pack turnover the ball. Munster drive forward five yards.
58 mins: Saints kick-off. O'Callaghan gathers. O'Leary box kicks but it is charged down by Hartley. Then a kncok on from Munster. Five-metre scrum for Saints. Saints drive but the scrum needs to be reset. Wilson picks and drives. Saints right in the Munster corner. Murray picks and drives. Lawes has a crack too. O'Connell has been seen playing the ball on the ground and is shown the yellow card. He walks off the pitch for ten minutes in the sin-bin.
57 mins: Saints concede a penalty for hands in the ruck just inside their own 22-metre area. PENALTY: O'Gara will kick. It's actually at halfway. He's got it! 9-6.
56 mins: Saints are playing well, but Geraghty is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at the moment. Unless he settles Saints will struggle to finish off Munster.
54 mins: Clarke is fed the ball on the left wing. He drives well and sets up. Geraghty clears downfield to Warwick. He returns to Geraghty and then offloads to Dickson on halfway. From the ruck Geraghty puts the ball straight into touch.
53 mins: But, no, the referree has given a Saints peno for coming in the side at the ruck! PENALTY: Geraghty pops it over from ten yards. 6-6.
52 mins: Dickson, Kruger and Clarke drive forward for Saints. Hartley gets the ball and puts the head down for a Saints drive in the Munster 22. Danger here! But, forward pass to Ashton. Munster ball.
51 mins: Saints have now missed two penalties. They have territorial control but can't score.
50 mins: Geraghty will go for three points. He takes the penalty from inside the Munster half, to the right inside the ten-metre area: PENALTY: He strikes it shockingly. My mother could have done better.
49 mins: Line-out is crooked. Saints scrum. Munster lose their binding and are driven off the ball. Saints penalty.
47 mins: Nothing comes of the line-out and Munster gain possession. The Men in Red then proceed to knock on. The ball goes out the Saints line but Foden throws the ball behind Ashton. Ball in touch, Munster line-out.
45 mins: Munster punt it back. Foden gives a garryowen and chases. No joy, but Saints force a turnover. They subsequently lose it in the next ruck, but Keith Earls clears straight into touch, so Saints have a line-out in the 22.
44 mins: PENLATY: TB Reihana will take the kick from just inside the halfway. He kicks...and he skews it way to the left.
43 mins: From a Munster lineout O'Gara knocks on and Saints turn it over. It's a penalty for Saints anyway as Quinlan was offside.
42 mins: Ashton gets ball on the wing, he kicks ahead and Dowling gathers and it is setup for Munster.
41 mins: Munster kick-off to Saints. Geraghty returns the kick downfield. Warwick back to Foden, who takes the ball into contact.
41 mins: The teams are just reappearing for the second half. Let's hope we get at least one try!
40 mins: That's the last action of the half and Munster go in to the break a whisker ahead. It's been a dreary first-half in terms of action, but interesting none the less. The scrum is a flash-point with penalties being given away left, right and centre. At the moment, it looks like whoever makes less mistakes at the set-pieces and breakdowns will prevail. Back for the second half shortly.
39 mins: Saints are caught offside at the ruck and its a peno for Munster. PENALTY: O'Gara puts it through the posts from the 22-metre area. 6-3.
37 mins: Scrum Munster in Saints' 22 metre area. An 8 to 9 move for Munster. Dowling loops around but can't make it through the defence. O'Gara takes a line and is hauled down five metres short.
36 mins: O'Gara kicks to touch. Munster are in the corner now. Wallace wins the line-out and Munster put on the rolling maul. It goes nowhere and the ball is unusable. Ref blows for a scrum.
34 mins: Munster couldn't use it in the ruck and Saints get a scrum. The balll squirts out the back and Munster win it. O'Gara put it out the line, Earls is taken down by Clarke and Munster win a peno as Saints don't roll away.
33 mins: Geraghty returns the kick-off to Warwick. He returns it to Geraghty. Geraghty takes it up the middle. The play ends with Saints going into touch.
31 mins: SL Tonga'uiha shafted Hayes in the front row there. PENALTY: Long-range kick from TB Reihana and Saints are level. That was a monster from almost halfway 3-3.
30 mins: The scrum collapses yet again. It is reset. Saints win it as the scrum twists 180 and it is a penalty to Munster as a result.
29 mins: The ball is punted back by Foden. Munster hold on and it's a Saints scrum.
28 mins: Anothe collapsed scrum. This time the peno is for Munster. O'Gara will take the penalty. PENALTY: From halfway, O'Gara strikes and...not enough legs to make it over.
27 mins: O'Gara drops it out from the 22. Saints gather and it goes back to Geraghty, he kicks to the corner, but it's too long. The ball is all the way back at halfway for a Munster scrum.
26 mins: Saints get a penalty as a result and they kick to touch. Line-out and the ball is setup in midfield. Geraghty goes for a drop-goal. He puts it left and wide.
24 mins: Scrum Saints: they win it. Munster stand up in the scrum and it needs to be reset. Everything gets nasty and a few of the gents square up tp each other.
23 mins: Scrum Munster: good scrum. Wallace drives from the base. The ball is set-up in midfield in Saints 22. The ball is slow coming back. Fogarty drives for Munster. O'Gara feeds De Villiers and Geraghty looks to tackle him very high - but the ref says it is a knock-on, then a high tackle. So, he goes with the knock on first.
22 mins: Bad Saints line-out. They lose it and Munster gather. Kruger dropped in the line-out. Knock-on and scrum Munster.
21 mins: Things kick-off as a few gents throw a few punches.
20 mins: Ball won by Munster. passed out to Quinlan on the charge. Dowlign is next to drive forward. O'Callaghan is driven into touch.
19 mins: Munster will take the put-in in the Saints 10-metre area, just to the right of the posts.
18 mins: O'Callaghan wins the line-out and O'Leary clears. Saints hold on to to the ball at the breakdown. Munster go quickly. Earls breaks down the middle, Downey takes him. Warwick is fed the ball by O'Leary. Munster are in control here and dominant. Ball not coming out of the ruck - Munster scrum.
17 mins: The kick to touch is from Geraghty. Lawes wins it in the air. Out the line from Saints. Downey takes a crash ball. Then Hartley bursts through for more ground. Saints get into the Munster 10-metre. Then they grubber to the corner.
16 mins: The game has been boot-to-ball for 90 percent so far. Not great to watch. It's an edgy encounter to say the least.
14 mins: Fogarty goes for the tail and misses it. Saints turnover. Knock on Munster in the ruck and Saints get a scrum.
14 mins: Saints win the line-out. Dickson box kicks clear - out on the full. Munster throw in their own half, just inside.
13 mins: Saints kick back to Munster and Warwick weights a perfect kick into the Saints half, into touch just inside the ten-metre.
12 mins: Quinlan wins a peno for obstrution chasing the ball. O'Gara kicks to touch. Fogarty throws and Kruger steals the ball from O'Connell.
11 mins: Munster scrum inside the halfway. Saints are driven back and lose the ball. Hayes destroying Tonga'uiha in the scrum.
10 mins: Lobbe was driving that maul for Saints, he adds serious bulk to the Saints pack.
9 mins: Saints throw-in. Good lineout. They drive it forward. Munster drag down the maul and Saints get a peno.
8 mins: Saints kick to touch but Munster steal it and punt downfield. Geraghty gets the ball and punts to Warwick. He runs it back and is tackled by Ashton. Earls tries to pick and kick quickly, but he puts it into touch.
7 mins: Saints win a penalty as Munster infringe at the breakdown.
5 mins: Munster win a penalty from the line-out. However, they put it out on the other flank. Saints ball. Dickson box kicks to Howlett. Munster put the ball out the line. No way through the Saitnts defence and Quinlan marks and punts downfield. It's all ping pong as Ashton kicks back to Dowling. Warwick now takes the ball downfield.
3 mins: Geraghty kicks-off. After some tactical kicking, Foden clears back the Munster 22. A lot of ping pong at the start of the tie here. O'Leary grubber kicks into touch.
2 mins: Ball cleared back to Foden. He holds on and gives away a penalty in the ten-metre area. Penalty Munster. O'Gara to go for goal: PENALTY: He strikes it straight through the posts and 3-0 Munster.
1min: Saints kick-off to Munster. O'Leary clears back to Ben Foden. Saints set up a ruck and Lee Dickon clears to Quinlan.
7.59pm: Trivia: David Wallace scored the only try in 2000 when these side's met in the final.
7.59pm: A minute's silence for the victims of Haiti's earthquake is observed.
7.57pm: Saints are on their way out onto the pitch for a raucous welcome. Big James Downey looks pumped. The Drumcondra man will have a point to prove tonight after being left out of Declan Kidney's Ireland squad.
7.56pm: Late change to the Munster team with Ian Dowling in for Denis Hurley on the left wing.
7.55pm: Hello everybody and welcome back. Just a few minutes before kick-off here. It's a packed house in Thomond as the Saints come to town looking for an upset.
6.32pm: I will leave you now to investigate the delights of the RTÉ canteen. Wish me luck! I shall be back shortly before eight o'clock for kick-off. See you then.
6.25pm: Let's also not forget that this is something of a grudge match for Munster. Northampton beat Munster 9-8 to win the European Cup final in 2000, as well as beating them in round one in this season's competition. Revenge is definitely a dish best served cold - and Thomond Park will, no doubt, be Baltic this evening.
6.22pm: If your memories need refreshing in relation to what happened last time out, check this link out.
6.07pm: Hello rugby fans, and welcome to Friday's matchtracker. There is a sumptuous weekend of Heineken Cup action ahead and what better way to start it then a classic Anglo-Irish winner takes all encounter at Thomond Park. None, if you ask me.
Just two points separate the side's in a very tight Pool 1. So, expect Saints to throw the kitchen sink at The Men in Red tonight.
To get a taste of what may be in store, check out Brendan Cole's match preview, right here. It might even help you decide on those last minute trips to the bookies!
Munster v Northampton, Heineken Cup Round Six, Thomond Park, 22 January (8pm):
Munster: 15 Paul Warwick, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Denis Hurley, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Tomas O'Leary, 8 David Wallace, 7 Niall Ronan, 6 Alan Quinlan, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Denis Fogarty, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Damien Varley, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 Tony Buckley, 19 Donncha Ryan, 20 James Coughlan, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Lifiemi Mafi, 23 Ian Dowling.
Northampton: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Jon Clarke, 12 James Downey, 11 Bruce Reihana, 10 Shane Geraghty, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Phil Dowson, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Dylan Hartley (c), 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Replacements: 16 Brett Sharman, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Christian Day, 20 Neil Best, 21 Alan Dickens, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Chris Mayor.
Date: Friday, January 22.
Venue: Thomond Park.
Kick-off: 20.00 GMT.
Referee: Romain Poite (France).
Assistant referees: Eric Soulan (France), Bernard Dal Maso (France).
Television match official: Jean-Christophe Gastou.
