Munster's attack falls just short of the line

Celtic League: Munster's winning sequence came to an abrupt halt at Edinburgh's Meadowbank Stadium last night as the Scots took advantage of the visitors' indecision in making the most of their try chances to fashion a barely deserved victory.

The reigning champions could hardly have made a better start, as a penalty goal by Conrad O'Sullivan from a self-inflicted Edinburgh infringement put them into a three-point lead after as many minutes.

Shortly afterwards the centre had a second shot at goal, but this time the kick was off target, providing relief for the home side.

Munster's appetite for points, however, was undiminished and a try seemed certain when skipper Jim Williams slipped a neat pass to Dominic Crotty, only for the wing to be bundled into touch by Hugo Southwell a metre short of the Edinburgh line.

The scores were then levelled when New Zealand-born outhalf Brendan Laney converted a massive goal from the half-way line.

Another Munster scoring chance was created by a chip and chase by winger Mossie Lawlor, but the Edinburgh defence was sufficiently alert to deny the try.

Then came a set-back for Munster with the sin-binning of lock Trevor Hogan, for killing the ball, and a subsequent successful penalty attempt by Laney put Edinburgh into the lead.

It was the signal for a further Edinburgh effort, this time a catch and drive from a penalty-created lineout in the corner that ended with substitute Andrew Dall forcing the ball down for the try. Laney's conversion put the Scots ahead by 13-3.

Edinburgh's numerical advantage was lost when full back Derrick Lee was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on but all that Munster could salvage from a sustained period of attack before half-time was a penalty by O'Sullivan.

Munster began the second half in dominating manner but it was Edinburgh who came away with the points. From his own line, Laney kicked upfield, winger Simon Webster gathered on the half-way line before supplying the scoring pass to Allister Hogg, Laney adding the conversion.

Munster launched a further series of attacks but Edinburgh's defence kept their line intact. The visitors' most threatening run came from Simon Kerr but that ended just short of the line.

O'Sullivan stroked over his third penalty kick to reduce Edinburgh's lead to 11 points, which proved to be the final margin of victory.

SCORERS: Edinburgh: A Dall try; A Hogg try; B Laney 2 pens, 2 cons. Munster: C O'Sullivan 3 pens.

EDINBURGH: D Lee; S Webster, C Joiner, T Philip, H Southwell; B Laney, R Lawson; C Smith, A Kelly, R Mathieson, G Perrett, A Kellock, T Blackadder, S Cross, A Hogg. Replacements: A Dall for Blackadder (9 mins); M Di Rollo for Philip (19 mins); N Pike for Perrett (43 mins); J Brannigan for Mathieson (64 mins); G Burns for Lawson (65 mins); A Warnock for Laney (68 mins); C Di Ciacca for Kelly (68 mins).

MUNSTER: D Crotty; M McPhail, M Mullins, C O'Sullivan, M Lawlor; J Holland, E Reddan; S Kerr, A Long, F Roche, T Hogan, S Keogh, D Leamy, C McMahon, J Williams. Replacements: T Hays for Leamy (46 mins); K Matthews for O'Sullivan (78 mins); F Murphy for Reddan (74 mins).

Referee: H Watkins (Wales)