Munster, Leinster set for Croker

Heineken Cup champions Munster and provincial rivals Leinster set up a mouthwatering semi-final showdown at Croke Park after …

Heineken Cup champions Munster and provincial rivals Leinster set up a mouthwatering semi-final showdown at Croke Park after beating Ospreys and Harlequins respectively this afternoon.

Leinster came through an intense battle with a Harlequins team playing in their first quarter-final since 1998, and kept their hopes of a first Heineken Cup crown alive.

Two first-half penalties from outhalf Felipe Contepomi proved enough for Leinster, although after a 65th-minute Mike Brown try Harlequins's goalkicker Nick Evans had a chance to win the match with a last-minute drop-goal, which he missed after a poor connection.

Munster routed Welsh outfit Ospreys 43-9 at a sun-drenched Thomond Park in Limerick while Magners League champions Leinster ground out a 6-5 win at Harlequins at the Stoop.

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Two second-half tries in two minutes for Keith Earls and 17 points from Ireland outhalf Ronan O'Gara helped Munster run away from Ospreys after the first half finished 16-6.

Fullback Paul Warwick crossed for Munster in the first half and Ireland lock Paul O'Connell rumbled over after the interval while two opportunistic Warwick drop-goals completed the dominant performance.

Ospreys could only muster three James Hook penalties as Munster's defence stifled any Welsh pressure.

In the other quarter-finals played on Saturday Cardiff Blues beat Toulouse 9-6 to set up a semi-final at the Millennium Stadium with Leicester, who edged through 20-15 against Bath.

The all-Ireland semi-final will be played on Saturday, May 2nd at 5.30pm at GAA headquarters, while the final will take place at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on May 23rd.

Tickets for the semi-final went on sale through the Ticketmaster website from 6pm this evening. They can also be purchased by phoning 0818 719 300.