Pride spurs on Munster

Celtic League/Munster 20 Llanelli 0:Munster were unfortunate not to pick up a bonus point at Musgrave Park on Saturday night but coach Declan Kidney appeared satisfied with a return to winning ways, albeit against an under-strength Llanelli who had one eye fixed on this week's European Cup semi-final against the Leicester Tigers.

The Scarlets rested 12 players from the team that dethroned the European champions a fortnight back with only fullback Barry Davies, centre Gavin Evans and winger Mark Jones retained. On that premise it was hardly surprising that Kidney dismissed any talk of a revenge mission.

"No. That had nothing to do with revenge. The boys are too professional to be thinking of a thing like that. Obviously, the Scarlets have beaten us twice this season but that wasn't the main motivating factor either. The main motivating factor was to be more like ourselves and I think we were like that tonight.

"People say we have nothing to play for but I think any time you play in a Munster jersey there is always something to play for because that's what it means to the people playing in the red shirt."

On the failure to cross for a fourth try, which would have put them level on points with seventh placed Edinburgh, Kidney noted: "We scored three tries but were a pass away from another three."

Ronan O'Gara did streak clear to touch down under the posts in the 54th minute but play was pulled back because of a forward pass by Barry Murphy.

Brian Carney's quality offload, under pressure from Mark Jones, sent Murphy in for Munster's second try five minutes into the second half. Marcus Horan had got over for the first try after just three minutes.

O'Gara was off target with both conversions but did land a 32nd-minute penalty.

Anthony Foley, captain for the night, marked his return to the starting line-up with the third try just after the hour mark, which O'Gara converted.

With just three matches remaining, there will be no silverware going to Munster this season but they can help their provincial rivals by beating third-placed Ospreys at Musgrave Park on April 28th.

Scoring sequence: 4 mins: Horan try, 5-0; 32: O'Gara pen, 8-0 (half-time 8-0); 45: Murphy try, 13-0; 62: Foley try, O'Gara con, 20-0.

MUNSTER: M Lawlor; B Carney, B Murphy, L Mafi, A Horgan; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; D Ryan, J O'Sullivan, A Foley (capt). Replacements: F Pucciariello for M Horan (66 mins), C Wyatt for M O'Driscoll (71 mins), J Kelly for B Murphy (76 mins).

LLANELLI: B Davies; D Daniel, M Watkins, G Evans, M Jones; C Thomas, L Davies; P John, K Owens, C Dunlea; I Afeaki, A Jones; D Jones, J Bater (capt), N Thomas. Replacements: J Davies for P John (61 mins), P Mackey for G Evans (66 mins), G Thomas for J Bater (70 mins), C Stuart-Smith for B Davies, D George for K Owens (both 76 mins).

Referee: P Allen (SRU).