Munster 20 Llanelli Scarlets 0: Munster exacted revenge for their premature Heineken Cup exit at the hands of the Llanelli Scarlets by keeping their visitors scoreless in their Magners Celtic League encounter at Musgrave Park.

With their gaze firmly on next weekend's European semi-final against Leinster, Scarlets travelled without most of their front-line players. Even head coach Phil Davies chose to sit out the trip to Cork.

Munster, however, were on a mission despite not having any silverware within their sights.

Never in their professional rugby history has Decland Kidney's side lost three home matches in a row and they proudly kept that record intact tonight, following recent losses to Leicester and Cardiff.

Tries from Marcus Horan, Barry Murphy and Anthony Foley got them back to winning ways and edged them closer to seventh-placed Edinburgh in the league standings.

Llanelli, who included only four players from the side that thrashed the Borders last week, were immediately on the back foot and prop Horan launched himself over a close-range ruck to notch Munster's opener in the fourth-minute.

Ronan O'Gara missed the conversion but the Scarlets, with so many changes, struggled to gain a foothold in the game and it was Munster who always looked the more potent.

Opting to keep the ball in hand rather than kick for the corners, the hosts stuck to their game-plan, but as the half wore on they were struggling to glean the points their play deserved.

Scarlets scrumhalf Liam Davies caught the eye behind the scrum, although his outside backs were well shackled throughout.

An O'Gara penalty from in front of the posts handed Munster their 8-0 buffer for the break, and the half closed with the visitors down to 14 men after skipper James Bater saw yellow for a dangerous tackle on Mossy Lawlor.

Encouragingly for Kidney, Munster were sharply out of the blocks for the second period and they made their numerical advantage pay when a neat chip through from O'Gara was gathered by Brian Carney. The former rugby league star showed excellent hands when challenged by two players to offload for centre Murphy who sliced over for the second try.

Munster continued to press for tries with man of the match Lifeimi Mafi the liveliest of the home backs.

Foley then plunged over from a forward drive, just past the hour mark, to confirm the Scarlets' first defeat in five matches.