Twenty one points from out-half Paul Warwick that included a first half try try, helped Munster to a 26-16 Magners League win over Llanelli Scarlets at Musgrave Park.
Munster led 10-6 at the interval but stretched that lead to 17-6 within a minute of the restart when Rua Tipoki and Anthony Horgan conjured up a superb try, Horgan the finisher, that Warwick converted. And when the out-half added a 52nd minute penalty it seemed Munster were set for a comfortable victory.
However, the Scarlets were by no means done with. Rhys Priesland tagged on a penalty and in the 65th minute Matthew Watkins kicked downfield and collected to score a try with Priestland adding the extras to reduce Munster’s lead to four points (20-16).
Warwick pushed it out to seven with a penalty two minutes later and his monster penalty from just inside the half way with a minute of normal time remaining denied the visitors a bonus point.
Young out-half Priestland gave the visitors the ideal start with an eight minute penalty having been narrowly wide with an earlier effort. But after Tony Buckley, Anthony Foley and then Rua Tipoki had been stopped inches short of the line, Paul Warwick skipped over for a well worked try that he then converted.
Priestland cut the deficit with his second penalty but just before the break Warwick cancelled that out with a penalty to leave Munster going into the break with a four point cushion (10-6).
Right from the restart Munster attacked, Tipoki made the break and Horgan took a great line to get on his shoulder to score to the left of the posts. Warwick added the conversion and a penalty to extend the lead but ten points in the space of four minutes had the west Wales team right back in contention until Warwick sealed the outcome with those late penalties, a six from seven return on a good night for Munster and their new recruit who was named Man of the Match.
Munster: S Payne; I Dowling, K Lewis (L Mafi), R Tipoki, A Horgan; P Warwick, T O’Leary (G Hurley); F Pucciariello, D Fogarty (S Cronin), T Buckley; M Melbourne, M O’Driscoll, B Holland J Coughlan), N Ronan (T O’Donnell), A Foley capt
Scarlets: Morgan Stoddart; Garan Evans, Regan King, Gavin Evans, Matthew Watkins; Rhys Prietland, Gavin Cattle; Iestyn Thomas, James Hayter, Bruce Douglas; Vernon Cooper, Adam Eustace; Dafydd Jones, James Bater capt, Nathan Thomas.
