Munster’s play off ambitions suffered a setback in Parc Y Scarlets when they were beaten 18-10 by a fired up Scarlets outfit

And lest there be any doubt about the merit of the Scarlets win, Munster's scored seven of their ten point total in the finals seconds of a game that Scarlets controlled for near enough the entire second half.

They led 9-3 at the break thanks to three Owen Williams penalties and the twenty year old out-half, who went on to win the Man of the Match award – probably just ahead of his half-back partner Aled Davies – added a further nine second half points courtesy of two penalties and a neat drop goal.

The first half was a cracking contest with both sides prepared to fling the ball around at every opportunity that saw end to end stuff for the 7124 attendance to enjoy.

O'Gara was short from half way in the opening minute while Williams converted a slightly shorter effort to give his side a three point lead after 14 minutes. Then, like his opposite number, Williams came up short with a 56 metre effort after Jacobie Snyman had sacked Duncan Williams at a lineout but made it six nil five minutes later.

Munster came under severe pressure when scrum-half Davies breached their defence on half way to send first Phil John and then Rob McCusker galloping through and shortly after it needed a decisive Paddy Butler tackle to end Andy Fenby's run.

O'Gara who had seen an earlier effort come back off an upright finally got Munster on the board but Williams added a 39th minute penalty for a six point interval lead after the home side had withstood a bout of pressure inside their own 22 started when Mike Sherry made good inroads on the left hand side.

Four minutes into the restart Johne Murphy was penalised for some 'afters' though neither referee Dudley Phillips nor his assistant paid heed to what caused that reaction and when Munster were marched back a further 10 metres for backchat Williams lined up the penalty but surprisingly drove it wide of the right post, his only miss of the night.

He got back in the groove in the 49th minute and after O'Gara missed from in front, Sherry was shown yellow and while he was in the bin Williams fired over a penalty and a drop goal to seal the outcome.

Munster to their credit did come looking to salvage something but Denis Hurley's try was too late to affect the end result.

Munster: I Keatley; D Hurley, I Dineen, JJ Hanrahan (Laulala 50th min), J Murphy; R O'Gara, D Williams (Sheridan 67th min); W du Preez (Ryan 75th min), M Sherry capt (Henry temp), BJ Botha (Archer 68th min); D O'Callaghan (Holland 68th min), I Nagle; CJ Stander (Dougall 58th min) T O'Donnell, P Butler.

Scarlets: G Owen; L Williams, G Maule, A Warren, A Fenby; O Williams, A Davies; P John, E Phillips, J Adriaanse; G Earle, J Snyman; R McCusker (capt), J Turnbull, K Murphy. Replacements: K Myhill, R Jones, S Lee, J Ball, J Edwards, G Davies, A Thomas, N Reynolds.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland).