Toulouse, playing at the city’s football stadium – a so-called neutral venue - booked their place in next month’s final at Lansdowne Road against Leinster or Perpignan, thanks to Frederic Michalak’s 74th minute try.

Michalak, who switched from scrum half to fly half with devastating effect, during the second period, saw his score converted by substitute Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, and Munster’s European dream was over for another year.

In the past four seasons, Munster have now lost two Heineken Cup finals and two semi finals, but Gaffney insists that there is more to come from his team.

“We are obviously very disappointed. The boys have got very close in this competition in the last couple of years, losing two semi-finals and two finals by an aggregate total of nine points,” Gaffney said.

“It will be difficult, but these guys have got enormous belief in what they do, and there is progress left in us – we have got to move on”.

Munster led most of the match thanks to two penalties and two dropped goals by fly-half Ronan O’Gara , but relentless Toulouse pressure eventually told , and Munster could find no way back.

“Toulouse are a very good team – they are the best attacking side in Europe,” Gaffney added.

“They have got so much pace and fire power, that they can achieve anything, and when Michalak moved to 10, the game changed – there is no doubt about that.

“We played very well in the first half – we gave it a good shot and we created chances, but Toulouse defended very well.”