| First half timeline |
| 0 | Leinster | Sexton kicks off the Heineken Cup quarter-final in Dublin, the weather is fair and the stadium is packed, it's a good night for running rugby between two teams that know how to move the ball |
| 2 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Clermont have an attacking lineout 30out, Ledesma throws but the precision wasn't quite there and any sniff of an early attack is gone |
| 4 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Its the first scrum of the match, 35m from the Leinster line. The home side have the put in, Sexton slice his attempted clearance kick, as did Floch. Both sides look nervy |
| 5 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | After a standard lineout, Sexton fails to find touch with his kick, it means Clermont receieve the ball on the 10m line and decide to flick the ball across the backline and Domingo is off and running, Ledesma shows his pace coming off the wing and Leinste |
| 6 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James, normally so accurate, puts his kick way wide of the uprights |
| 9 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | More running rugby from the French who are here to play, they have dominated possession and territory in the first ten minutes |
| 10 | Leinster | TV statistics show Leinster have spent 0 % of the first ten minutes in the opposition 22 |
| 11 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Try - J Malzieu Malzieu is on the end of a swift move inside the 22, referee Dave Person confirmed with the TMO. The move began with James chipping into space in the 22, a touch of class setting up the score |
| 12 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Conversion - B James James slots the conversion from roughly the same spot as the penalty he missed earlier |
| 15 | Leinster | More intense pressure from Clermont results in Kearney not rolling away from the tackle, James is instructed to take a shot at goal, but its a very tough one from the far right touchline |
| 16 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Penalty kick - B James An exquisite 39m shot at goal curls through the posts |
| 17 | Leinster | Nothing going Leinster's way at the moment, they are pinged for a foul at a lineout inside the opposition territory |
| 19 | Leinster | Loose ball is gathered by Kearney - and what a kick he makes to force a defensive lineout from the French, Ledesma's throw is deemed crooked and the two sides set for a scrum inside the Clermont 22 |
| 20 | Leinster | McLaughlin powers to with 10, and they earn a penalty which Sexton will aim at the posts |
| 21 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton No worries for Sexton, who slots the easy close range goal from directly in front of the posts |
| 22 | Leinster | Try - J Heaslip O'Driscoll opened up the Clermont defence and pops the ball through the back door with his famous sleight of hand to Heaslip, it's power and pace from the huge No.8 who cant be stopped from 20m |
| 24 | Leinster | Conversion - J Sexton The conversion from the left hand side sneaks through to level the scores |
| 25 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James attempts a long drop goal, it's well wide and leads to a Leinster drop out |
| 25 | Leinster | An ugly kick from Sexton is fumbled by Nacewa and Clermont take a lineout just outside the 22 before referee Pearson blows for an infringement to give James a chance to restore a lead for his side |
| 27 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James misses, will he rue the six points that have so far gone begging, at the end of the match? |
| 30 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | The penalty count is Leinster 6: Clermont 1. It means James has another chance to score with the boot |
| 31 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James' kick is short, that's nine points wasted so far from the Australian |
| 32 | Leinster | Leinster have a great opportunity with an attacking lineout |
| 33 | Leinster | Try - J Heaslip McLaughlin takes the ball to within 5 and on the next phase, Heaslip is given the ball. He has the muscle to score under the posts |
| 34 | Leinster | Conversion - J Sexton Sexton is able to maximize the try - what a turnaround by the champions, who now lead by seven |
| 35 | Leinster | Leinster get a penalty at the breakdown, it's another indication of how the tide has turned. It gives Sexton a long range penalty form the right hand side |
| 37 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton A phenomenal strike from the out half |
| 39 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Parra takes over the kicking duties after Van de Linde was penalised at the breakdown, but he cant score the long range penalty, it's the final action of a half - of two halves |
| Second half timeline |
| 41 | Leinster | Substitution - C Healy on for C Van Der Linde |
| 42 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | It's a slow start to the second half, the first significant action is an infringement at a scrum just inside Clermont territory. James makes good ground and Ledesma throws, the French side are within 15m of the line |
| 43 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | On fifth phase, Malzieu sees space and runs almost cross field to the far left touchline.. has he scroed? the TMO will decide |
| 43 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Penalty kick - B James Make that 3 from 7 - character from James who scores a long range goal |
| 44 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Try - J Malzieu It's a second try for the wing, but he will thank his forwards for giving him the platform |
| 45 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James cant connect with the conversion, that's just two from his six kicks at goal. |
| 50 | Leinster | Crisp play from the Leinster backline who are, on fifth phase, moving swiftly into enemy territory |
| 52 | Leinster | Eventually the move breaks down and the two sides bear down on each other for a scrum |
| 53 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Substitution - J Pierre on for T Privat |
| 53 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Substitution - A Audebert on for A Lapandry |
| 54 | Leinster | It's a solid home scrum and the home side earn a penalty on the second phase as Clermont use hands in a ruck |
| 55 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton A solid 35m kick from the fly half, its five in a row from the Ireland international who is holding his nerve more so than his opposite number - and that means his team are five points to the good |
| 55 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Another penalty goes wide by James, it's going to be costly at the final whistle |
| 60 | Leinster | Penalty count: Leinster 11 - Clermont 3. This latest indiscretion - offside at a ruck - gives James yet another shot at goal |
| 60 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Penalty kick - B James No mistake this time as he scores from the 22
|
| 61 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Try - J Malzieu The wing gets his hat-trick as he charges down Horgan's clearing kick. Power and pace, and the third score of the match for the No11 take his side into the lead |
| 62 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Conversion - B James James extends the lead |
| 63 | Leinster | Leinster come back all guns blazing and are within 10m of the tryline |
| 64 | Leinster | Kearney is stopped one metre short |
| 65 | Leinster | 10th phase and Pearson calls time off to consult the TMO, have the home side scored through Reddan? |
| 65 | Leinster | NO TRY! the home fans groan, but the 3000 traveling French fans roar their approval, however Sexton lines up a shot at goal for an earlier penalty awarded by Pearson |
| 66 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton A confident kick from Sexton |
| 69 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Yellow card - A Floch The full back is sin bnned for a deliberate knock on |
| 69 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Substitution - V Debaty on for T Domingo |
| 70 | Leinster | Sexton can't make the difficult penalty, his side still trial but will have a man advantage for the final 10 minutes |
| 73 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton Yet another penalty for Sexton, it means his side have the lead, they look the stronger side at present, and with just eight minutes left, now is the time to peak |
| 74 | Leinster | Substitution - B Jackman on for J Fogarty |
| 75 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Substitution - B Cabello on for M Ledesma |
| 76 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Clermont keep the ball in hand, 11th phase and they are within 22 |
| 76 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James flashes a drop goal wide |
| 77 | Leinster | Kearney is injured, he looks in trouble, it's been another remarkable Heineken Cup clash - it could still go either way with just minutes remaining |
| 77 | Leinster | Kearney leaves the field on a stretcher |
| 77 | Leinster | Substitution - G Dempsey on for R Kearney |
| 78 | Leinster | It's a scrum 35out, Leinster must be careful not to concede a penalty or the defence of their title could be over |
| 79 | ASM Clermont Auvergne | James is is position for a drop goal, it couldn't be tenser as the Clermont pack edge forward |
