Rugby/Edinburgh 7 Munster 11:Munster set the tone for next weekend's Ireland v Scotland Six Nations match with a narrow win over Edinburgh at Murrayfield last night to leapfrog the Scottish provincial side into second place in the Magners League.
In a close match outhalf Paul Warwick's kicking was the difference between the two sides; he succeeded with two kicks while his opposite number Phil Godman missed three from three.
All the points were scored in the second half after a trench warfare first half that left the scoreline at 0-0 after the first 40 minutes.
Edinburgh had the first chance of points but Godman sent the ball wide of the posts. Munster should have made more of a period of pressure triggered by a penalty kick to the corner, but stout Edinburgh defence kept the European giants at bay.
The home side then blew two chances as Godman twice pulled the ball to the left of the posts with his second and third attempts at goal. The kicking failures, however, seemed to act only as a spur for Edinburgh to pursue their running game.
With half-time approaching and no points registered by either side, Munster were dealt a blow when winger Ian Dowling was sent to the sinbin for what referee Tim Hayes deemed to be persistent offside.
It was Munster who started the better in the second half, forcing Edinburgh into their own 22-metre area. The gain was a yellow card awarded against Roland Reid after the Edinburgh wing spear-tackled Doug Howlett, but from the subsequent penalty award and kick to the corner, Munster failed to score.
With Paul O'Connell coming off the bench, Munster exerted more force up front and were rewarded with a penalty after Edinburgh collapsed a maul, Warwick claiming the three points on offer for the first score of the match.
Five minutes later and from an identical position Warwick landed his second success of the match to give Munster a six-point cushion.
But it was not a sufficient platform for Munster, who had to defend tenaciously against an Edinburgh side determined to break the try famine.
Munster, however, could not stop Edinburgh scrumhalf Ben Meyer from forcing his way over from close range to grab the game's first try, converted by Godman to give Edinburgh the lead by a single point.
But it was only a temporary advantage as Munster hit back effectively, moving the ball skilfully before from close range, lock Donnacha Ryan stretched out to score an unconverted try.
Seven minutes from time Warwick's third attempt at goal rebounded off the posts but Edinburgh, unable to deal with the awkward bounce, were forced to concede a five-metre scrum.
But in the event Edinburgh's forwards pirated the ball before gaining 60 metres with a massive kick from Southwell.
EDINBURGH:H Southwell (C MacRae 77); A Turnbull, B Cairns, J Houston (N De Luca 51), R Reid; P Godman, B Meyer (G Laidlaw 61); A Allori (C Smith 51), A Kelly, G Kerr; M Mustchin (F Pringle 70), C Hamilton; A MacDonald (S Cross 60), R Rennie, A Hogg (capt).
MUNSTER:S Payne (T O'Leary 64); D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick (J Manning 77), P Stringer; F Pucciariello (D Hurley 63), F Sheahan, T Buckley; M O'Driscoll (J Coughlan 63), D Ryan; A Quinlan, N Ronan, A Foley (capt, P O'Connell 44).
Referee T Hayes(Wales)
