The scrum-half had been distraught earlier this week after been controversially overlooked by Wales for their Six Nations squad, with the Welsh selectors claiming his lack of game time at Edgeley Park was a key factor in their decision.
But with Sale trailing to the French visitors in their final pool game, Peel turned the tide in the hosts favour with a magnificent solo try midway through the second half to help inspire them to victory.
It also served as timely reminder of the quicksilver qualities that prompted the Sharks to bring Peel to England from Llanelli last summer. And with Orio Ripol and David Tait also touching down, the win went some way towards erasing the memory of last week's abject display at Munster which had ended Sale's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.
All the talk pre-match had been about the need to restore pride and confidence in the wake of last week's Limerick hammering.
With 12 changes from the side that under-performed so woefully at Thomond Park, including the welcome return of long-term injury absentees Sebastien Bruno and Lee Thomas, Sale began in formidable fashion.
And they took a 10th minute lead when from a short-worked penalty, flanker Luke Abraham sent winger Orio Ripol in over in the left hand corner.
With Luke McAlister, who shone at fly-half in the absence of Charlie Hodgson, converting it represented the ideal start for the Sharks.
But the defensive frailties which were so exposed at Munster last weekend, soon returned to haunt the hosts. After Clermont fly-half Seremaia Bai had narrowed the deficit with a penalty, the visitors then took the wind out of Sale by taking a 27th minute lead.
From a swift counter-attack, Bai's kick bisected the Sharks defence and centre Thomas Combezou showed great speed and skill to beat both Mathew Tait and Nick McLeod to the touchdown, Bai adding the conversion.
And though McAlister levelled matters with a penalty after Clermont lock Thibaut Privat was yellow-carded on the half-hour, worse was soon to follow.
Though reduced to 14 men, Clermont's ambition was unchecked and from full-back Anthony Floch's hopeful kick, winger Napolioni Nalaga evaded the tackles of England duo Tait and Mark Cueto to touchdown, Bai again on target with the conversion.
Though McAlister narrowed the deficit with an injury time penalty it could disguise a scrappy, inconsistent opening 40 minutes.
At least the passion and physicality were stepped up after the break even if inspiration was still thin on the ground, though one fantastic break by McAlister almost opened up the Clermont rearguard.
And as Sale upped the pressure, Clermont received their second yellow card of the afternoon when Combezou was sin-binned for a high tackle on McLeod.
Though McAlister was off target with the resulting 57th minute penalty, he made amends three minutes later, narrowing the score to 16-17.
Then Peel produced a moment of sheer class to fire Sale into the lead and maybe prove a point to both Wales not to mention club boss Philippe Saint-Andre.
Picking up a loose ball just inside the Clermont half, the 26-year-old burst through a gap in the Clermont half before jinking past two defenders to score a superb individual try.
It electrified Edgeley Park and Sale responded in kind by claiming a third try on 72 minutes, David Tait crashing over in the corner after fine work by his pack colleagues to seal the win.
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