HEINEKEN CUP POOL 5 Munster (12) 26 Tries: Mullins, O'Connell, Stringer, penalty try Cons: O'Gara 3 Bourgoin (3) 3 Pen: Peclier

Munster pipped Gloucester to the top spot in Pool Five thanks to a late penalty try at Thomond Park.

The Irish province were pressing for the fourth try needed for a bonus point when Bourgoin were punished for collapsing a scrum close to the line.

Earlier, Mike Mullins, Paul O'Connell and Peter Stringer had scored touchdowns for Munster.

Although Gloucester finished on the same total of 24 points, Munster won the group to earn a home quarter-final.

It will be Munster's sixth appearance in the Heineken quarter-finals in eight years and this time they are the only Irish province to qualify.

Bourgoin fly-half Alexandre Peclier kicked the visitors into a second minute lead with a confident penalty from 25 metres.

Maybe we have to be a little more clinical in future games Munster coach Alan Gaffney

Munster centre Mullins touched down near the posts after 22 minutes and O'Gara converted to give Munster a 7-3 lead.

Sneaked over

Ireland second row O'Connell crawled over four minutes before the half-time whistle, off the back of a Donncha O'Callaghan line-out take, for his second European try and an interval lead of 12-3.

On 62 minutes scrum-half Stringer sneaked over from five metres for his first European try of the season and O'Gara's conversion put Munster 19-7 in front.

Munster still needed another try to top the group and they secured it when referee Tony Spreadbury whistled for a penalty try as Bourgoin's front row collapsed a scrum five metres from their line.

Munster's fifth win of the campaign sees them top the pool ahead of Gloucester, as a result of their better performance in the two games played out between the sides this season.

Munster: Staunton, Kelly, Mullins, Henderson, Horgan, O'Gara, Stringer, Horan, Blaney, J. Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Williams, Wallace, Foley.
Replacements: McIlwham, Flannery, Pusey, Keogh, Reddan, Holland, Lawlor.

Bourgoin: Genbacher, Zhakata, Esterhuizen, M. Forest, Coux, Peclier, Campeggia, Milloud, Cabello, Bouic, Pierre, Stolz, Bonnaire, Raschi, Chabal.
Replacements: Bonrepaux, Barbato, Pape, Petrilli, Laussucq, Davis, A. Forest.

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England).