Heineken Champions Cup: ASM Clermont Auvergne 31-39 Munster

Clermont's George Moala is tackled by Gavin Coombes

Munster claimed a dramatic comeback win over Clermont Auvergne in France to make it two wins out of two in Pool B of the Heineken Champions Cup.

Clermont had their four-try bonus point in the bag as they led 28-9 after 25 minutes but Munster fought back with scores from Mike Haley before the break and then CJ Stander and Kevin O'Byrne.

Stander's converted try had Munster ahead for the first time on 70 minutes.

JJ Hanrahan excelled with the boot, racking up a total of 24 points.

The Munster fly-half landed six penalties and added the extras to each of his side's tries as the Irish province kept their ambitions of qualification for the quarter-final knockout stages very much alive.

Alivereti Raka scored Clermont's opening try after just 20 seconds, with the French side being awarded a penalty try and Damian Penaud and Etienne Fourcade also crossing as they built up a 28-16 half-time lead.

Johann Van Graan's men became only the second side to earn a Champions Cup triumph at Stade Marcel Michelin to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

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Three-time runners-up Clermont, seeking a 32nd win in 33 home matches in the pool stage, powered into the lead after only 26 seconds.

Keith Earls spilled the kick-off into the hands of second row Peceli Yato, who produced a fierce hand-off on Gavin Coombes before he offloaded to Raka.

The France international charged onto the ball and crossed the line unchallenged to score, and Camille Lopez converted for a 7-0 lead.

Munster outside-half Hanrahan steadied the ship with a penalty, but another error from the restart compounded their dire start.

After a succession of attacks around the ruck, Lopez looked to exploit the overlap to send Penaud in at the corner, only to be denied by a desperate Shane Daly.

The winger deliberately knocked the ball on to deny a certain try, but his actions resulted in a penalty try and 10 minutes in the sin-bin to tarnish his European debut.

The French side made their man advantage pay after Hanrahan had added a second penalty for Munster.

Lopez shifted the ball to the outside where Raka looped a long pass to Penaud, who strolled in at the corner, and Lopez added the extras to make it 21-6 after only 15 minutes.

Clermont secure bonus point

Hanrahan was on target again to chip away at the lead, but Clermont secured the bonus point after 25 minutes when Fourcade fed a lineout and latched onto the rolling maul to score.

Lopez converted again and at 28-9 the result looked to be secured, but Munster gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Haley scythed through to score.

Hanrahan converted to cut the gap to 12 points at half-time.

The returning Munster number 10 then narrowed the deficit to six points with a pair of penalties after the restart as the Irish side edged their way back into the contest.

The lead was down to three after 57 minutes thanks to a sixth Hanrahan penalty after Judicael Cancoriet was sin-binned for a no arms hit on Munster hooker Rhys Marshall.

Lopez restored the six-point advantage with a penalty of his own, but Thibault Lanen opened the door for the visitors again when he saw yellow for pulling Tadhg Beirne at a lineout.

And this time they took their opportunity to complete the comeback as Stander barged over at the back of a maul after a five-metre lineout, and Hanrahan held his nerve to convert and make it 32-21.

Replacement hooker O'Byrne then sealed the unlikeliest of victories when he crashed over late on, with Hanrahan maintaining his perfect record off the tee to secure a 39-31 win.

ASM Clermont Auvergne: Matsushima; Penaud, Barraque, Moala, Raka; Lopez (capt), Bezy; Ravai, Fourcade, Slimani, Jedrasiak, Yato, Cancoriet, Lanen, Lee.

Replacements: Pelissie, Falgoux, Falatea, Lanan, Annandale, Parra, Nannai-Williams, Veredamu.

Munster: Haley; Earls, Farrell, de Allende, Daly; Hanrahan, Murray; J Wycherley, Marshall, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne; Coombes, O'Mahony (capt), Stander.

Replacements: O'Byrne, O'Connor, Ryan, F Wycherley, Holland, Casey, R Scannell, O'Donoghue.