Soundbites from the Heineken Cup final

JOHN HAYES

"It's every bit as good as the last time two years ago. We said then that we didn't want to be a good team that won it once but a great team that could do it again."

DONNCHA O'CALLAGHAN

"I think if you ask them (Toulouse) they'll feel like a team beat them playing boring and ugly stuff but we don't care. I have a medal in my arse pocket."

PAUL O'CONNELL

"For us up front it was a war, and that's what we made it. It was a great game to win from a forwards' point of view because I think we took the game by the scruff of the neck and closed it out."

ALAN QUINLAN

"I feel very lucky that I played more of a part in this one. It was probably as hard a game as I've ever played for intensity and hits."

DAVID WALLACE

"Surreal. I suppose to beat a team like Toulouse in the final is kind of like a dream of ours. It's been a hard season and to finish like this is great."

DENIS LEAMY

"You've got to bluff . . . Had I control? It's difficult to say whether I got a little bit of downward pressure but you have to respect the referee's decision."

DENIS HURLEY

"Two years ago I was sitting in a pub watching Munster win the Heineken Cup, so to be actually starting I can't put it in words."

DOUG HOWLETT

"We got the result and that means everything. I can't say enough about our forwards today. Paul (O'Connell) was inspirational."

RUA TIPOKI

"It was great. To see our forwards do what they do so well is comforting. We did (scream for the ball) but when they do what they did you have no complaints. It's a different atmosphere here. Pretty special. "

LIFEIMI MAFI

"The fans made it feel like we were at home. Credit is due to them for turning up to support us in such large numbers. It makes them part of the team."

IAN DOWLING

"If you didn't know your job you were going to let 14 of the other lads down. I don't think any of us wanted to let anyone down."

RONAN O'GARA

"I think there's huge credibility to our performance. We've quality players in Munster as well as heart, and I think people sometimes forget that."

TOMÁS O'LEARY

"Hanging on to the ball. That was the key. The first 20 minutes we kind of had to soak it up. Then we when had a bit of ball we put the pressure on."

MARCUS HORAN

"Paul (O'Connell) was going on to us about going to the well and getting it out of the reserves and that's what we did. It was there in the tank for us"

JERRY FLANNERY

"It just justifies everything we've done and all the training. It's a brilliant feeling, especially after the s****y year we had. But we've gotten better as a team and there was an expectation that we've had to live up to."

DECLAN KIDNEY

(Munster coach)

"We probably had to lose two (finals) to win two. Some of the lessons we learned then, and through the hard times, we put to use this time."

JIM WILLIAMS

(Forwards coach)

"I am very proud of the boys for the way they held on to the ball, their intensity, which was upped from the start of the match and the fact we didn't really lose a grip on the match."

FABIEN PELOUS

(Toulouse captain)

"I did lose my head a little bit. It is a shame I reacted like that (kicking Quinlan)."

GUY NOVES

(Toulouse coach)

"We put them under a lot of pressure for the first 25 minutes. We were there in terms of physicality."