Munster 22 Ospreys 10: Munster move top of the Magners League with a workmanlike win over Ospreys at Thomond Park that defied all predictions of barnstorming clash between the last two champions.
Much was expected from the visit of Welsh side but only a Ronan O’Gara penalty separated the sides after a turgid first half.
The gloom looked to have lifted in the second half when Doug Howlett crossed to get things going and Tommy Bowe responded for the defending champions, but it was a false dawn.
The game reverted to type and O’Gara edged the hosts further ahead with four more penalties to put the game out of reach on the occasion of Alan Quinlan’s 200th cap, though Richard Fussell crossed for a consolation after some late Ospreys pressure.
Howlett was captain for the night after number eight Demis Leamy suffered a rib injury in training and was replaced by James Coughlan.
They had to tweak their line-up again early on when winger Ian Dowling's night was ended by a hip problem and O'Gara was brought in at outhalf, with Paul Warwick moving to full-back.
Both Warwick and O'Gara missed kickable penalties in the opening 10 minutes and although Munster bossed play in the first quarter, the Ospreys were able to soak up the pressure.
A kick chase from Johne Murphy got Munster within sight of the try-line, and Ospreys full-back Lee Byrne was fortunate to avoid a yellow card for hands in the ruck as Tomas O'Leary prepared to pass.
Sam Tuitupou was a productive ball carrier in Munster's midfield, but any space was quickly closed down by the visitors. A hack downfield from Byrne was well chased by Shane Williams who gave Warwick no time on the ball.
The mistakes continued from both sides, most notably at lineout time and in contact. An ankle injury forced Ian Evans off, after he fell awkwardly in a lineout, and Howlett, Munster's captain for the night, lacked support as he jinked his way into scoring range.
O'Gara watched a long-range penalty effort fail to clear the crossbar, on the half hour, but he sent Munster into a 3-0 lead shortly before half-time, punishing the Ospreys for a scrum infringement.
Munster continued to force the issue in the second half, declining a shot at the posts before momentum from a scrum led to Warwick sending a skip pass out for Howlett to glide in at the corner. O'Gara struck a superb conversion for 10-0.
The Ospreys hit back in the 45th minute when Williams' deft pass invited Bowe into space over halfway and the Ireland winger had the pace to outstrip Warwick for the left corner, with Biggar missing the conversion.
Bowe was back on the defensive to thwart Felix Jones soon after, and Munster, holding the edge up front, began to turn pressure into points. With the Ospreys losing Marty Holah to the sin-bin for repeated ruck offences, O'Gara kicked four successive penalties - two of them while the visitors were down to 14 men.
With 10 minutes to go, Munster forwards had laid the platform for victory at 22-5. The Ospreys opened up in the closing minutes and Andrew Bishop almost made it over for a try.
Bishop was brought down close to the posts and Munster's Billy Holland was duly yellow carded for not rolling away.
After a series of scrums, Biggar scooped a long pass out to the right for replacement winger Fussell to score, but it was too little, too late.