Munster have another late escape

RUGBY/Munster - 14 Llanelli - 13: Munster extended their match-winning streak at home to 16 but as with the narrow victory over the Borders on the opening weekend of the Celtic League, this was a scratchy, unconvincing win which was down to another late escape.

Reprieved and relieved, Munster temporarily go top, but they will know they are not firing on all cylinders.

Defensively porous in the face of a more cohesive and fluid Llanelli backline, who played with more width, depth and pace, a sleeves-rolled-up effort by their pack in the second half, and some traditional sources of strength - most notably the tactical kicking of Ronan O'Gara, and big performances from Paul O'Connell, Alan Quinlan and David Wallace - just about got them there at the end of an eventful, aggressive and entertaining night's rugby.

Already obliged to play a sprinkling of relative youngsters in their backline, Munster were compelled to play a second debutant, Dolphin scrum-half Thomas O'Leary, in addition to Ian Dowling on the wing, when Peter Stringer failed a late fitness test on a back strain.

In seeing a good, trademark start and ensuing 8-0 wiped out to trail by 13-8 at the break, much of Munster's defensive porousness in the first half emanated from playing Leamy out of position. By half-time, the poor fella was withdrawn and fairly safe in the knowledge that he won't be starting at number 13 in the Heineken European Cup - or perhaps ever again.

After a couple of early scares which saw John Kelly and the impressive Barry Murphy save probable tries as the last line of defence, soon a typically accurate and productive lineout helped give Munster a territorial foothold. Llanelli were surviving by hook or by crook, twice taking out the airborne O'Connell, who made a rumbustious return.

In the face of an aggressive defence which lived offside all night, Ronan O'Gara cleverly weighted a delayed little grubber in behind the advancing red line which Trevor Halstead latched on to. When Llanelli were caught by Ireland off the recycle, O'Gara opened the scoring.

O'Gara's deft footwork garnished and reaped a better reward five minutes later.

It started from deep with an Anthony Foley lineout steal, and moved across the line for Leamy to make a half break and put Murphy sprinting upfield, to link with Leamy again. O'Connell kept Munster on the front foot, and from the next recycle O'Gara's dummy and perfectly weighted little chip eluded Tal Selley, and Quinlan, following up, got the touchdown.

However, Llanelli's threat wouldn't go away, and when they stretched Munster some more off quick ruck ball and a long pass by Clive Stuart-Smith, Regan King deftly put Lee Byrne over, the fullback taking a nice line.

Then came another left-to-right score off quick ruck ball, with Hercus's long pass again stretching the big Munster midfield, and King again showing the deftest of hands and footwork to put Matthew Watkins over, the centre taking Leamy's covering tackle to score. Hercus missed both conversions, but landed a penalty for the 13-8 lead.

Munster ought to have had what seemed a clear try off a lineout drive in between those scores but this was balanced out when a scoring reverse pass by the ever dangerous King to Hercus was dubiously adjudged forward.

Reprieved, O'Gara's boot brought Munster upfield. O'Connell punched another hole in the red line but Llanelli, while rarely behind the hindmost foot, regrouped in numbers and rapidly even off quickly recycled ball.

When John Davies killed ruck ball under the posts, and was lucky to escape further censure, O'Gara narrowed the gap and then pushed Munster in front after a pivotal kick by Byrne went out on the full when Adam Jones was sinbinned for hands in a ruck.

Munster went for the killer score, O'Gara's right boot extracting every inch of distance.

A procession of lineout drives, scrums and close-range rumbles were held up, while a daring counterattack up the middle by Murphy, linking up with John Kelly, fell one support runner short of a probable try.

However, John Hayes was then binned for standing on John Davies's hand and when Marcus Horan was penalised for punching at the behest of home touch judge Eanna O'Dowd - a brave fellow - Hercus stepped up only to nervously screw his 35-metre penalty well wide, a huge roar emanating from the terraced side of the ground as soon as the ball left his boot.

Even then, Munster were grateful for the covering Halstead and Kelly to beat Selley to his own chip ahead.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 14 mins: O'Gara penalty 3-0; 18: Quinlan try 8-0; 24: Byrne try 8-5; 34: Watkins try 8-10; 40 (+3): Hercus penalty 8-13; (half-time 8-13); 61: O'Gara penalty 11-13; 65: O'Gara penalty 14-13.

MUNSTER: B Murphy; J Kelly, D Leamy, T Halstead, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, A Quinlan, D Wallace, A Foley. Replacements: R Henderson for Leamy (half-time), M O'Driscoll for O'Connell (74 mins), M Horan for Pucciariello (78 mins). Not used: J Flannery, T Hogan, M Prendergast, P Burke. Sinbinned: Hayes (78 mins).

LLANELLI: L Byrne; D James, M Watkins, R King, T Selley; M Hercus, C Stuart-Smith; I Thomas, A Gravelle, J Davis, H Louw, A Jones, J Mills, A Popham, S Easterby (capt). Replacements: C Wyatt for Louw (47 mins), L Davies for Stuart-Smith (78 mins), D Williams, C Hawkins, C Wyatt, G Quinnell, G Bowen, D Daniels. Sinbinned: A Jones (64-74 mins).

Referee: Andy Ireland (SRU).