Dragons 19 Munster 12: Munster failed to secure their fifth win in succession in Newport tonight as an understrength side, featuring 12 changes from last week, were overrun in the second-half.
Leading 12-6 at the break, thanks to two Lifeimi Mafi tries, Munster were unable to trouble the scorers in the second period as the Dragons punished errors and indiscipline among the visitors ranks.
Munster cause was hardly helped by two yellow cards and the loss of out-half Jeremy Manning but ultimately they can have few complaints as the Welshmen fought back decisively through a Jamie Ringer touchdown and 14 points from the boot of Ceri Sweeney to snatch a much-needed win.
Munster shrugged off a sluggish opening by striking the first scoring blow in the eighth minute when Manning slipped a neat inside pass to Mafi, who plunged over for Manning to convert.
The Dragons struggled to get parity up front, with Declan Kidney's side dominating the possession and penalty stakes before Sweeney put an easy penalty chance wide of the upright to highlight the Dragons' lack of assurance.
Munster's main tactic of not committing bodies to the breakdown area and soaking up ponderous Dragons attacks made for a sterile first half.
The influential Manning was forced off through injury after half an hour and his replacement, Eoghan Hickey, had a miserable evening with the boot.
A physical, well-organised Munster defence continued to call the shots until hooker Andy Kyriacou was yellow-carded for an offence at a ruck.
Sweeney kicked the ensuing penalty after 36 minutes, but Munster moved 12-3 in front when Mafi slipped over for his second try following a smart blindside attack.
A snap drop goal by Sweeney four minutes into first half added time cut the deficit to six points and the Dragons realised that to break the Munster stranglehold they had to raise the tempo of their game.
They did exactly that as a series of forward drives ended in flanker Jamie Ringer forcing his way over from close range. Sweeney converted to give the Welshmen the lead for the first time after 47 minutes.
The penalty count was 3-1 against the Irishmen, who were forced to continue to use defence as their main offensive weapon in the face of a fired-up Dragons outfit.
The depleted Munster men were disrupted by a spate of injuries
as the physical battle intensified and after Donnacha Ryan became
the second Irishman to be sin-binned Sweeney landed his second
penalty to put the Dragons on course for
victory.
On the stroke of full-time Sweeney completed a penalty hat-trick to seal the win and with it a notable triumph for the Dragons.
Dragons: K Morgan; G Wyatt, P Emerick, A Smith, N Brew; C Sweeney, G Cooper; A Black, B Daly, L Harrison; I Gough, L Charteris; C Charvis, J Ringer, M Owen. Replacements: K Crawford, D Maddocks, A Hall, N Fitisemanu, G Chapman, M Hercus, A Walker.
Munster: C Cullen; A Horgan, L Mafi, T Halstead, I Dowling; J Manning, T O'Leary; M Horan, A Kyraicou, T Buckley; D Ryan, M O'Driscoll; C Wyatt, J O'Sullivan, A Foley. Replacements: F Pucciariello, E McGovern, P O'Connell, J Coughlan, B O'Meara, E Hickie, M Lawlor.
Referee: Andy Macpherson (Scotland) .
