How They Got There

Munster stormed into the quarter-finals with a 6-1 win loss record, their only defeat coming to fellow Irish province Ulster by 26-17 at Ravenhill in late September.

By contrast Neath squeezed into the final eight in fourth place in the pool with a 4-3 win loss record. The Welsh all Blacks played well against fellow Welsh sides, but were unable to beat Scottish and Irish opposition, going down to Ulster, Munster and Edinburgh.

In the knock out stages, Munster overpower Connacht, and then gained revenge over Ulster in the semi-finals.

Neath just beat highly fancied Pontypridd in the quarter-finals, and snuffed out Cardiff in the semi-final.

Below are the clubs results en route to the final and final Pool table

Final Celtic League Pool Standings

HOW THEY GOT THERE … MUNSTER

LLANELLI 13 MUNSTER 20

LLANELLI: Try – M Jones; Con – S Jones; Pens – S Jones 2

MUNSTER: D Crotty (J Staunton 58); J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson, M Lawlor; R O’Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, J Blaney, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, E Halvey, A Foley (capt), A Quinlan

Scorers: Try – M Lawlor; Pens – R O’Gara 5

Referee: I Ramage (Scotland)

MUNSTER 48 EBBW VALE 23

MUNSTER: J Staunton; J O’Neill, M Mullins (C Mahony 80), J Holland, M Lawlor (D Crotty 69); K Keane, D Malone (M Prendergast 65); M Horan, J Blaney (J Fogarty 71), S Kerr (R Laffan 76), M Galwey (D O’Callaghan 71), M O’Driscoll, A Quinlan, C McMahon (D Leamy 74), J Williams (capt)

Scorers: Tries – M Mullins 2, M Lawlor, J O’Neill, A Quinlan, J Williams, J Holland; Cons – J Staunton 5; Pen – J Staunton. Yellow card: M Horan

EBBW VALE: Tries – T Morris, penalty try; Cons – M Meenan 2; Pen – M Meenan; Dgs – M Meenan 2

Yellow cards: David Jones, M Rowlands

Referee: A Spreadbury (England)

EDINBURGH RUGBY 21 MUNSTER 28

EDINBURGH RUGBY: Tries – D Lee, C Paterson; Con – B Laney; Pens – B Laney; DG – D Hodge

MUNSTER: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson, J O’Neill (D Crotty 76); J Holland, D Malone (M Prendergast 75); M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, J Williams (capt, E Halvey 78), A Foley, A Quinlan

Scorers: Try – R Henderson; Con – J Staunton; Pens – J Staunton 7. Yellow card: A Quinlan

Referee: N Williams (Wales)

MUNSTER 38 SWANSEA 27

MUNSTER: J Staunton; M Lawlor, M Mullins (C Mahoney 78), J Holland, D Crotty; K Keane, M Prendergast (D Malone 76); S Kerr (W O’Kelly 80), F Sheahan, R Laffan, M Galwey, M O’Driscoll (T Hogan 80), E Halvey, D Leamy (C McMahon 76), J Williams (capt).

Scorers: Tries – D Crotty 2, M Lawlor, M Prendergast; Cons – J Staunton 3; Pens – J Staunton 4

SWANSEA: Tries – A Thomas, S Winn, C Charvis, G Henson; Cons – A Thomas 2; Dg – A Thomas

Referee: Rob Dickson (Scotland)

ULSTER 26 MUNSTER 17

ULSTER: Tries – N Doak 2; Cons – N Doak 2; Pens – N Doak 4. Yellow card: T McWhirter.

MUNSTER: J Staunton; D Crotty, M Mullins, J Holland, M Lawlor; K Keane, M Prendergast; M Horan, F Sheahan, R Laffan, M Galwey (capt), M O’Driscoll, D O’Callaghan, E Halvey, D Leamy.

Scorers: Try – M Lawlor; Pens – J Staunton 2; Dgs – J Staunton, J Holland

Referee: P Adams (Wales)

NEATH 19 MUNSTER 35

NEATH: Try – S Jones; Con – S Connor; Pens – L Jarvis 4

MUNSTER: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson (J Holland 75), M Lawlor; R O’Gara, P Stringer; M Horan (S Kerr 54), F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll (M Galwey 80), A Quinlan (D Crotty 80), J Williams (capt, M Horan 65, D Leamy 75), A Foley

Scorers: Tries – M Lawlor, J Williams, F Sheahan, R O’Gara; Cons – R O’Gara 3; Pens – R O’Gara 3. Yellow cards: S Kerr, J Holland

Referee: Chris White (England)

MUNSTER 41 CAERPHILLY 0

MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, M Lawlor; R O’Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, M Galwey, M O’Driscoll, A Quinlan, D Leamy (E Halvey 41), A Foley (capt)

Scorers: Tries – F Sheahan, M Mullins, A Quinlan, M Galwey, M Horan, D Crotty, M O’Driscoll; Cons – R O’Gara 3

Referee: Mike Hall (Scotland)

QUARTER-FINALS

MUNSTER 33 CONNACHT 3

MUNSTER: K Keane; C McMahon, M Mullins, J Holland, M Lawler; R O’Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, P O’Connell, D O’Callaghan, J Williams (D Leamy 70), A Foley, A Quinlan (M O’Driscoll 77)

Scorers: Tries – M Mullins 2, M Lawlor, Penalty try; Cons – R O’Gara 2; Pens – R O’Gara 3. Yellow cards: P O’Connell 39, M Horan 50

CONNACHT: Pen – M McHugh. Yellow card: P Bracken 50

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

SEMI-FINALS

MUNSTER 42 ULSTER 10 (Thomond Park)

HT: 28-3 Attendance: 12,000

MUNSTER: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins (M Prendergast 77), J Holland, A Horgan (M Lawlor 23); R O’Gara (K Keane 73), P Stringer; M Horan (M Cahill 80), F Sheahan, J Hayes, P O’Connell (M Galwey 62), D O’Callaghan, J Williams (capt), A Foley, A Quinlan (D Leamy 75)

Scorers: Tries – J Hayes, A Quinlan, J Kelly, M Mullins, M Galwey; Cons – R O’Gara 3, K Keane; Pens – R O’Gara 3

Yellow cards: D O’Callaghan, F Sheahan, A Quinlan

ULSTER: B Cunningham (S Young 48); J Topping, S Stewart, A Larkin (J Cunningham 33), S Coulter (K Campbell 77); D Humphreys (capt), N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, M Sexton (P Shields 64), R Kempson, G Longwell, J Davidson, W Brosnihan (N McMillan 44), N McMillan (S Best 16), T McWhirter (A Ward 49)

Scorer: Try – D Humphreys; Con – D Humphreys; Pen – D Humphreys

Red card: J Fitzpatrick (11)

Referee: H Watkins (Wales)

HOW THEY GOT THERE … NEATH

NEATH 25 CAERPHILLY 6

NEATH: A Durston; K James, J Storey (A Bateman 62), D Tiueti, S Williams; L Jarvis (S Connor 41), A Moore; D Jones, S Jones (B Williams 75), A Millward (Adam Jones 62), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), A Mocelutu (N Bonner-Evans 68), R Phillips, S Tandy

Scorers: Tries – S Williams, A Durston, K James; Cons – S Connor 2; Pens – L Jarvis, S Connor

CAERPHILLY: Pens – L Richards 2. Yellow card: S Tuipulotu

Referee: C Saunders (Wales)

SWANSEA 16 NEATH 20

SWANSEA: Try – S Winn; Con – A Thomas; Pens – G Henson 3. Yellow card: S Gibbs

NEATH: A Durston; S Marsden, D Tieuti, J Storey, S Williams; S Connor (L Jarvis 61), A Moore; D Jones, B Williams (S Jones 80), A Jones (A Millward 71), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), A Mocelutu (H Jenkins 61), N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy

Scorers: Tries – S Williams, A Moore; Cons – L Jarvis 2; Pen – S Connor; Dg – S Connor

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland)

NEATH 29 LLANELLI 13

NEATH: A Durston; S Marsden, A Bateman, D Tiueti, S Williams; L Jarvis, A Moore (P Horgan 66); D Jones, B Williams, A Jones (A Millward 60), A Newman, G Llewellyn, H Jenkins, N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy

Scorers: Tries – S Marsden, H Jenkins; Cons – L Jarvis 2; Pens – L Jarvis 5

LLANELLI: Try – I Thomas; Con – S Jones; Pens – S Jones 2. Yellow card: S Quinnell

Referee: A Lewis (Ireland)

ULSTER 17 NEATH 13

ULSTER: Tries – B Cunningham, T Howe; Cons – N Doak; Pen – N Doak. Yellow card: W Brosnihan

NEATH: A Durston; K James, A Bateman (J Storey 68), D Tieuti, S Williams; L Jarvis, P Horgan (A Moore 59); D Jones, B Williams, A Millward (A Jones 68), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), H Jenkins, N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy

Scorers: Try – S Williams; Con – L Jarvis; Pens – L Jarvis 2. Yellow card: D Jones

Referee: A Ireland (Scotland)

NEATH 34 EBBW VALE 7

NEATH: G Morris; S Marsden, J Storey, D Tieuti (A Bateman 65), S Williams; L Jarvis, A Moore (P Horgan 41); Duncan Jones, S Jones (B Williams 73), A Millward (A Jones 73), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt, S Martin 62), A Mocelutu (B Williams 15-25), H Jenkins (N Bonner-Evans 70), S Tandy.

Scorers; Tries – G Morris 3, S Tandy, L Jarvis; Cons – L Jarvis 3; Pen – L Jarvis;

Yellow cards: S Jones, A Mocelutu.

EBBW VALE: Try – R Davies; Con – M Meenan. Yellow cards: W Thomas, T Morris

Referee: G Davis (Scotland).

NEATH 19 MUNSTER 35

NEATH: G Morris; S Marsden (A Bateman 20-31), J Storey, D Tieuti (A Bateman 78), S Williams; L Jarvis (S Connor 58), P Horgan (A Moore 58); D Jones (A Jones 73), B Williams (S Jones 58), A Jones (A Millward 64), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt, S Martin 78), H Jenkins (A Mocelutu 66), N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy

Scorers: Try – S Jones; Con – S Connor; Pens – L Jarvis 4

MUNSTER: Tries – M Lawlor, J Williams, F Sheahan, R O’Gara; Cons – R O’Gara 3; Pens – R O’Gara 3. Yellow cards: S Kerr, J Holland

Referee: Chris White (England)

EDINBURGH RUGBY 27 NEATH 13

EDINBURGH: Tries – D Lee, C Joiner, B Laney; Cons – B Laney 3; Pen – B Laney; DG – B Laney

NEATH: G Morris (J Storey 63); K James, A Bateman, D Tiueti, S Williams; S Connor (M Jones 62), P Horgan; Duncan Jones (P James 71), S Jones (B Williams 59), A Millward (A Jones 59), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt, S Martin 76), H Jenkins (S Tandy 47), N Bonner-Evans, A Mocelutu

Scorers: Try – Duncan Jones; Con – M Jones; Pens – S Connor 2

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

QUARTER-FINALS

PONTYPRIDD 12 NEATH 13

PONTYPRIDD: Pens – N Jenkins 4;

NEATH: A Durston; G Morris, J Storey, D Tiueti, S Williams; S Connor (L Jarvis 53), A Moore; D Jones, B Williams, A Jones (A Millward 82), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), H Jenkins (A Mocelutu 43), N Bonner-Evans, B Sinkinson

Scorers: Try – Penalty try; Con – S Connor; Pens – L Jarvis 2

Referee: Iain Ramage (Scotland)

SEMI-FINALS

NEATH 32 CARDIFF 10 (The Gnoll)

HT: 17-0 Attendance: 6,471

NEATH: A Durston; G Morris, J Storey, D Tiueti, S Williams; L Jarvis, A Moore; Duncan Jones, B Williams, A Jones, A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), A Mocelutu (R Phillips 55), S Tandy, N Bonner-Evans (S Martin 79)

Scorers: Tries – N Bonner-Evans, D Tiueti, L Jarvis, G Morris; Cons – L Jarvis 3; Pens – L Jarvis 2

CARDIFF: R Williams; N Walne, J Robinson, M Allen, C Morgan; I Harris, R Smith; T Payne, G Woods, K Fourie (D Young 17), H Senekal, J Tait (A Jones 71), D Baugh, M Williams (capt), E Lewis

Scorers: Try – R Smith; Con – I Harris; Pen – I Harris

Referee: A Lewis (Ireland)