Munster 17 Cardiff Blues 19: Cardiff Blues had to dig deep to maintain their run at the top of the Magners League as they took the scalp of Munster at Musgrave Park.
In a match full of twists and turns and bizarre performances, the Blues looked to be in complete control throughout the 80 minutes but simply could not put Munster away and flirted dangerously with disaster all night.
In the end though, David Young's men did just enough to bounce back from last weekend's loss to Leinster and record their fifth win in six away games in the league.
In an astonishing first half, it was all Cardiff as their intensity and poise had Munster reeling from early on.
Slow to recycle the ball, the hosts were on the back foot from as early as the seventh minute when Cardiff outhalf Nick Robinson demonstrated his form on the night with a well-struck penalty.
Munster could get no respite at that stage and with Paul Warwick having a shocker — three missed penalties from kickable positions in the opening half — Cardiff looked to take full advantage.
Just two minutes later, a Robinson up and under caused consternation in the Munster rearguard.
When the ball broke off Shaun Payne, Robinson hacked on for winger Tom James to race clear of Ian Dowling, gather the ball and charge over for the game's opening try.
Having missed the conversion, Robinson soon landed his second penalty of the night to send Cardiff into a 11-0 lead.
But, true to form, Munster rallied splendidly as the half came to a close and, with two minutes remaining, Warwick found his kicking boots to get Munster off the mark.
The number 10's penalty success was followed three minutes later by a try for the hosts as lock Mark Melbourne burrowed over. Warwick converted and Munster, somehow, went into the interval just 11-10 in arrears.
However, their brief comeback was just that.
On the resumption, it was more of the same as handling errors continued to blight their game.
Cardiff were not bothered and continued to set the pace, extending their lead yet again after 44 minutes when a speedy attack from the visiting backs put James over for his second try.
Robinson tagged on a penalty eight minutes later and Cardiff's advantage was out to 19-10.
Munster threatened to ruin the party when flanker Niall Ronan got in for a try after 69 minutes, converted by Warwick.
In the end, however, the table toppers hung on to claim the win and consign Munster to their first defeat of the season.