By Cathal Dervan

Munster are back on track for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup after a bloody 36-8 win over Castres in Thomond Park on Saturday that saw the French side’s Argentinean prop Alessio Galasso red carded and four players sin-binned.

Ronan O’Gara, one of those to pick up a yellow card, became the highest scoring player ever in the competition as the Reds ran in five tries through Anthony Foley, Denis Leamy, Paul O’Connell, Frankie Sheahan and Christian Cullen. 

It was a bruising encounter, and man of the match Paul O’Connell admitted afterwards, “That was a tough job well done.

“It was never going to be pretty after last week. We were hurt having lost in France, and we felt we didn’t live up to everything the Munster jersey stands for. It was another tough forward encounter, maybe even more physical than last week.

“We can take a lot of heart from the performance - it’s a case of job done. To take a bonus point against a French team, you’d take that any day.”

O’Gara broke Diego Dominguez’s Heineken Cup record 645-point barrier by four points, with three conversions and a penalty, but was disappointed he got involved in an exchange of views with Castres’ Irish prop Justin Fitzpatrick that saw both players sent to the bin.

“I was disappointed to let my team mates down, but it was a thing of nothing really,” said O’Gara. “We achieved the bonus point and our goals, so it’s now just a case of re-assessing and moving on.

“It was nice to break the record at Thomond Park, in front of a full house. The supporters gave us a great backing and we’re just thankful we could reward them with a win.”

Ulster Wins

David Humphreys kept Ulster in the Heineken Cup frame as he masterminded an 18-10 win over Stade Francais at Ravenhill on Saturday that included a stunning try and a massive drop goal.

Ulster can just about still make the quarterfinals on the back of this result and coach Mark McCall claimed, “I’m really pleased with the result and performance. To turn things around after losing away in Paris last weekend is very pleasing.

“We made a terrible start to the match and gave them a perfect start. But we had real determination and showed a more aggressive and confrontational attitude.

“Some of our players really came of age and what we have shown is what we are capable of. It wasn’t a case of us hanging on, we beat a quality side and showed our own capability.”

Connacht Angry

Angry Connacht officials have decided not to cite Montpellier players for gouging and biting as they won their way through to the quarterfinal of the European Challenge Cup with a two legged victory over the French side.

Coach Michael Bradley complained, “It started with the first scrum. The punches went in from Montpellier at that stage and the gouging started. 

“Our loose-head prop Ray Hogan was bitten on the side of the face in the first scrum. That sort off thing has no place in rugby, no place in any sport. We were not protected by the match officials. 

“But gouging and biting should never be tolerated and I am disappointed the match officials did not take a firm stand.”

O’Driscoll Scores

Brian O’Driscoll all but guaranteed Leinster a place in the last eight of the Heineken Cup with a two try hail in the away win at Bourgoin on Friday night, their fourth straight victory, then claimed his side were fortunate.

Leinster won the Pool Two clash 26-23 and O’Driscoll said, “We were quite lucky. I think we showed great courage out there to come back from conceding the late try.

“It wasn’t particularly vintage rugby or vintage Leinster but when you come to places like Bourgoin it’s very tough. We didn’t play well all round, but there’s better from Leinster.”

Harrington For U.S.

Padraig Harrington confirmed he will spend more time in the U.S. next year after finishing second to host Tiger Woods in the Target World Challenge in California on Sunday.

The Dubliner revealed, “I’m going to come over and play more — March, April, May, June — playing six or seven more events than I did last year in the same period.

“I felt I wasn’t game-sharp last year, so I’ll play more early on in the year and see how I do at the end of the year.”

Meanwhile, Meath man Damien McGrane pocketed over $20,000 when he finished joint eighth in the Dunhill Championship at South Africa’s Leopard Creek Country Club on Sunday. 

On the Challenge Tour Ireland’s Michael Hoey finished one stroke behind winner Brad Sutterfield of the U.S. at the TIM Peru Open Los Incas Golf Club in Lima.

And on Monday, Ryder Cup heroes Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley were named the professional golfers of the year by the Irish Golf Writers after their involvement in the win over the U.S.