A stunning individual try by Andrew Conway with four minutes to play earned Munster a memorable Champions Cup quarter-final win over Toulon at Thomond Park.
A depleted Munster, who were missing a host of injured players including Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Tommy O’Donnell and Simon Zebo, overcame the odds to book an away date against the winners of Racing 92 and Clermont, who meet tomorrow, in the third weekend in April.
The French visitors kicked themselves into an early 6-0 lead but an opportunistic try from Conor Murray and five points from Ian Keatley handed Munster an unlikely 10-6 advantage at the break.
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The hosts stayed in front until the 65th minute when Chris Ashton scored under the posts, a lead that was extended when Francois Trinh-Duc kicked a penalty three minutes later.
That put the Top 14 side six ahead but Munster were not finished yet.
Trinh-Duc missed touch and Conway fielded the ball over his head with just a blade of grass between his boot and the whitewash.
From 45 metres out the winger spotted a gap and raced through with Keatley's kick proving the winning score.
"This team has developed a massive belief in itself," said former Munster scrum-half Tomás O'Leary on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
There were doubt's over Conway's fitness before the game but he was able to take his place.
Zebo, who had also returned from injury, lasted just 25 minutes and he received a huge applause as he left the European stage at Thomond Park for the last time before moving to Racing next season.
Toulon dominated the early stages and a penalty and dropgoal from Anthony Belleau handed the three-time champions a six-point lead.
They were good value for that lead but the tide was about to turn in an unusual manner.
Ireland scrum-half Murray looked offside as he stepped in behind a Toulon ruck and dotted down, immediately asking referee Nigel Owens to check with the TMO.
The Welsh referee asked a series of questions about two knock-ons and a possible offside. TMO Jon Mason got involved and after a lengthy wait the try was awarded.
Keatley converted and then pushed out the lead with a penalty after an obstruction call went in Darren Sweetnam's favour, another decision that was decided after video replays.
The out-half added another three points 16 minutes into the second half but the tide turned again when Trinh-Duc set Mathieu Bastareaud away in midfield.
In turn the France centre found Ashton, who darted over for a record 39th European try.
A penalty from the replacement out-half looked to have sealed the game but Conway had other ideas and his spectacular play, and Keatley's conversion, set up yet another semi-final for the two-time Heineken Cup champions.
Munster: Simon Zebo (Darren Sweetnam ’25); Andrew Conway, Sammy Arnold, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton; Ian Keatley (JJ Hanrahan ’78), Conor Murray (James Hart ’78); Dave Kilcoyne (James Cronin ’53), Rhys Marshall (Niall Scannell ’53), Stephen Archer (John Ryan ’53); Jean Kleyn (Gerbrandt Grobler ’77), Billy Holland; Peter O’Mahony (captain), Jack O’Donoghue (Robin Copeland ’59), CJ Stander
Toulon: Chris Ashton; Josua Tuisova, Mathieu Bastareaud (captain), Ma’a Nonu (Malakai Fekitoa ’59), Semi Radradra; Anthony Belleau (François Trinh-Duc ’53), Eric Escande (Alby Mathewson ’59); Florian Fresia (Xavier Chiocci ’46), Guilhem Guirado (Anthony Etrillard ’74), Marcel Van Der Merwe (Emerick Setiano ’77); Juandre Kruger (Romain Taofifenua ’46), Dave Attwood; Raphael Lakafia, Facundo Isa, Duane Vermeulen.
Referee: Nigel Owen.
