Munster boss Tony McGahan has hailed Ronan O'Gara after the veteran fly-half clinched a 23-21 Heineken Cup win over Northampton with a late drop-goal.

Northampton led the game by a point as the clock reached the 80-minute mark, but Munster set up 40 phases before handing the ball to O'Gara, who calmly slotted it through the posts to seal a dramatic win.

"It was something special," McGahan said. "The belief in the group, the way they stuck at it for 80 minutes, a lesser side would maybe not even have been in the contest.

"Ronan O'Gara's kick at the end - he's a special person to do that, to show the bottle to put his hand up and make the kick.

"This felt like a Round Six encounter during the week when it actually was an opening-round game. There is a great sense of achievement for the group at this early stage."

Munster's next Heineken Cup encounter comes against Castres on Saturday, November 19.