Cardiff 22 Munster 13: Munster produced yet another courageous display in Cardiff but Declan Kidney must find a cutting edge to his team if their Magners Celtic League hopes are not to be dashed before the autumn.
This was a huge test of character for the European champions with the absence of so many front-line players through national service and injuries. The second-string team confined their hosts to just two tries and narrowly missed out on a seemingly unlikely losing bonus point.
But the lack of attacking options across the park, with so many main strike runners absent, will give rise to some concern Munster will struggle to win over the month's rest period for Ireland's top players.
Prop Tim Ryan had an eventful evening, taking the field as a second-half replacement only to be walking back in the other direction to a yellow card moments later. He then returned from the sinbin to cross for Munster's only try seven minutes from time. It was too late, however, to salvage even a point.
Munster returned to the city of their finest hour following last May's Heineken European Cup final triumph at the Millennium Stadium that towers high over the Arms Park next door, but without 12 of the players who started that game.
Shaun Payne, Ian Dowling and John Kelly, making his 138th appearance, were the only survivors - though Federico Pucciariello came on from the bench in that final. Injuries had also prevented Trevor Halstead, Denis Fogarty and Eugene McGovern from taking part in a game that severely tested Munster's strength in depth.
Kidney handed debuts to 20-year-old prop Darragh Hurley, flanker Ross Noonan, backrow James Coughlan and former Wales lock Chris Wyatt.
Frankie Sheahan, playing his first competitive game since last October, saw his first lineouts stolen as Cardiff dominated the early exchanges.Munster defended stoutly and frustrated a side fielding 12 internationals including Robert Sidoli and Rhys Williams who saw early efforts ruled out for infringements.
Kelly, who captained the side on the night he became the second-most-capped Munsterman, made the most of the scant possession handed to his backs and would not have been overly concerned at trailing just 9-3 at the break.
Another Jeremy Manning penalty narrowed the gap to three early in the second half but it was the closest Munster got as the hosts finally found their finishing touch with two tries in five minutes. Marc Stcherbina danced through to open space for Chris Czekaj to cross before Scott Morgan galloped over in the same corner following a neat interchange of passes between Rush and Rhys Thomas.
Ryan was shown the yellow card for a professional foul just moments after taking the field as a replacement. Worse was soon to follow as 22-year-old lock Donnacha Ryan, also making his first start, followed to the sinbin after being caught offside, leaving Munster down to 13 men for a three-minute spell. Robinson's penalty also left them 22-6 down on the scoreboard. Ryan returned as Munster finished the stronger, shrugging off Martyn Williams before sliding over.
Cardiff: R Williams; C Czekaj, J Robinson, M Stcherbina, M Luveitasau; N Robinson, M Phillips; G Jenkins, R Thomas, T Filise; D Jones, R Sidoli; S Morgan, X Rush (capt), M Williams. Replacements: G Williams for Thomas (2-7 mins), B Davis for D Jones (62 mins), J Yapp for Jenkins (68 mins), T Shanklin for Stcherbina (65 mins), N Macleod for Luveitasau (71 mins), R Sowden-Taylor for M Williams (73 mins).
Munster: C Cullen; S Payne, J Kelly (capt), J Downey, I Dowling; J Manning, T O'Leary; D Hurley, F Sheahan, F Pucciariello; D Ryan, C Wyatt; R Noonan, J Coughlan, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: B Cuttriss for Noonan (52 mins), F Pucciariello for J O'Sullivan (55-65 mins), T Ryan for Pucciariello (55 mins), M Lawlor for Downey (71 mins).
Referee: Rob Dickson (Scotland).
