With the Six Nations just around the corner, Irish fly-half Ronan O'Gara did himself no harm to chalk up 29 points in Munster's win.

The individual brilliance of O'Gara assured Munster, last year's beaten finalists, a place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

The visitors to Rodney Parade posted 19 second half points to give them a flattering winning margin.

Newport coach Allan Lewis was disappointed to go out of the Cup, but was full of praise for Munster.

"We knew they would come back at us, because they have done it so often," he said.

Munster hero O'Gara was overjoyed with the win and paid tribute to the huge band of fans who had made the trip form Ireland.

"We don't make it easy for ourselves, but that's why we've got so many fans, they get good value for money.

"The Irish crowd were outstanding and really lifted us," he said.

Apart from O'Gara, who not surprisingly was declared man of the match, Munster had a highly effective back row trio in Alan Quinlan, David Wallace and Anthony Foley.

Newport dominated the first quarter and swept into a 15-0 lead after right wing Matt Mostyn crashed over in the corner in the 13th-minute.

Howarth kicked a penalty soon after and the home crowd were in full voice when the home side capitalised on a rare O'Gara mistake for Pini to storm over for an unconverted try.