Munster alive in 'Group of Death'

Munster have gone top of Pool 5 after grinding out a 22-13 victory over Llanelli Scarlets at Thomond Park.

The result against the group's winless whipping boys means the Irishmen leapfrog Wasps and go clear of Clermont in the 'Group of Death'.

The Scarlets made them battle every step of the way, but Munster ultimately squeezed the life out of the game with a typically dominant display up front.

They also scored two quality tries, taking advantage of rare gaps in an otherwise disciplined Lanelli defence to create scores for Jerry Flannery and Brian Carney.

It took Munster just five minutes to open the scoring after a high bomb from Ronan O'Gara created confusion inside the Scarlets 22.

Quick ball

Three phases of quick ball later Jerry Flannery received the ball out wide and the hooker did superbly to touch down in the corner under pressure.

With such an early first try the hosts may already have been thinking of a priceless bonus point, but they would have quickly realised that was presumptuous.

Llanelli hit straight back and took the lead with a neat converted try of their own after a Stephen Jones penalty hit a post and Mick O'Driscoll's loose pass in-goal gifted Llanelli a five-metre scrum.

They immediately took advantage of a surprise laxity in the Munster defensive line - possibly created by a couple of dubious Scarlets runners - and Stephen Jones coasted in under the sticks.

Typically, Munster refused to panic and were quickly back in the lead through a couple of O'Gara penalties.

On 32 minutes O'Gara slotted again after a darting run from the lively Rua Tipoki forced Ben Broster into a professional foul inside the 22.

Broster was sin-binned for his trouble but Llanelli made a brave goalline stand in injury time, holding Munster's vaunted forwards at bay and heading in just 14-7 down.

Stephen Jones' long-range penalty eight minutes into the second half got Llanelli back to within four points, but after Alix Popham was pinged for a high shot on O'Gara, the Ireland fly-half knocked over another penalty.

Alarm

The one moment of alarm for Munster arrived in the 65th minute when Marcus Horan was sin-binned for alleged striking and Stephen Jones cut the deficit to four points once more.

But Munster's 14 men simply upped their intensity a notch or two and were rerwarded on 73 minutes with the score that settled the contest.

It came from a turnover in midfield and after a slick handling move, Carney was the man over on the right and the former rugby league ace dotted down unopposed.

That completed an efficient display from the 2006 champions and Munster are now in control of their own destiny. But this pool will surely go right to the final minutes of round six.