CHRIS Paterson's golden boot turned to lead as Gloucester crashed out of the Heineken Cup at Kingsholm. The Scotland star's goalkicking accuracy deserted him in his hour of need – and 2006 European champions Munster did not require a second invitation to book a semi-final later this month against Saracens or Ospreys.
Paterson had kicked 33 successive goals at Test level but three botched strikes during the opening 22 minutes in Gloucester's biggest game for years allowed Munster an unexpected reprieve. And Gloucester were made to pay as Munster moved into their
seventh Heineken Cup semi-final.
Munster wings Ian Dowling and Doug Howlett scored tries in each half, and with fly-half Ronan O'Gara slotting two penalties, Gloucester had to concede second-best.
Munster, playing in unfamiliar blue shirts, enjoyed an early reprieve when Paterson rifled a straightforward penalty chance wide, and then he missed another sitter six minutes later. Gloucester enjoyed territorial dominance, but Paterson let them down, losing his unswerving Test match accuracy in the heat of a Heineken cauldron.
And O'Gara soon showed him how it should be done, slotting a 15-metre kick after Gloucester prop Carlos Nieto was sin-binned by Welsh referee Nigel Owens for killing possession.
Gloucester needed to show some composure under pressure, yet the early signs pointed to a vastly-experienced Munster outfit taking control. Paterson drifted a third penalty kick off-target – it was in such stark contrast to his Scotland form – and Munster moved into the second quarter 3-0 ahead.
Gloucester enjoyed a concerted spell of territorial pressure, but their scrum could not make inroads, and Munster ended the half in control. Playing at a Test-match intensity, the Irishmen looked to dominate the opening 40 minutes in style, and they delivered when wing Dowling crossed wide out to round off a sweeping move. O'Gara failed to add the conversion, but Munster were good value for their 8-0 interval lead.
The Ireland fly-half landed a second penalty nine minutes after the restart, compounding Gloucester's degree of difficulty, before Munster struck a telling blow 16 minutes from time. Hurley linked superbly with Howlett, sending a testing kick towards Gloucester's defence that they could not deal with, and Howlett gathered to deliver a killer try.
Fly-half Ryan Lamb, belatedly handed kicking duties instead of Paterson, landed a penalty four minutes later, but Gloucester had too much to do.
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