Return most recently entered amount based on look up of several criteria

I am in an awful pickle trying to fathom a way to return the most recently entered data that complies with several criteria.

Here is a sample from my rather large table (apologies if my sample is too big):

A B C D E
Case Ref Date Pay/Res Operation Amount
1 A 01/05/11 Reserve Settlement $6000
2 A 05/06/12 Reserve Settlement $3000
3 A 01/05/11 Reserve Lawyer $5000
4 A 02/02/12 Reserve Lawyer $2500
5 A 12/04/12 Reserve Lawyer $4000
6 A 05/06/12 Reserve Lawyer $2000
7 B 14/07/11 Reserve Settlement $5000
8 B 14/07/11 Reserve Lawyer $12000
9 B 15/09/11 Reserve Lawyer $9000
10 B 23/12/11 Reserve Lawyer $6000
11 B 03/04/12 Reserve Lawyer $3000
12 B 05/07/12 Reserve Lawyer $0
13 C 10/10/11 Reserve Settlement $2000
14 C 06/08/12 Reserve Settlement $10000
15 C 01/10/11 Reserve Lawyer $7500
16 C 04/01/12 Reserve Lawyer $5000
17 C 06/03/12 Reserve Lawyer $2500
18 C 10/10/11 Reserve Misc. $4000
19 D 06/04/12 Reserve Lawyer $1000
20 E 01/03/12 Reserve Settlement $5000
21 E 04/08/12 Reserve Settlement $0
22 E 01/03/12 Reserve Lawyer $1000
23 E 04/08/12 Reserve Lawyer $0

I have named the data in each of the above columns, in a bid a simplify calculations (ref; date; payres;type;amt)

I am looking for a formula that will complete the most recent information entered in a master sheet. For example, in the cell that corresponds to claim A, Reserve Settlement, the value returned should be $3000, as this is the most recently entered figure that corresponds to ref="A", payres="Reserve", type="Settlement".

The figure should not automatically be either the MAX or MIN value, as reserves are prone to fluctuate. For example, the Reserve Lawyer information for claim A drops and then rises again, before dropping anew, whilst the settlement reserve for claim C is initially set too low and is later adjusted upwards.

I have tried all manner of formulas mixing and matching VLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH, SUMPRODUCT etc. etc., but have thus far had no luck.

Any suggestions would be most gratefully received.

Thanks.