Munster's latest bid to record another stunning Champions Cup upset fell agonisingly short as Toulon edged a thrilling Pool 2 clash that burst into life in an amazing second half.
After going ahead with seven minutes to play, the visitors were harshly penalised and Toulon full-back Marius Domon kicked the winning score.
The French side applied the late pressure as they searched for a try bonus but the Munster defence held firm to ensure they left with the consolation of a losing bonus point.
It was a crazy game; 36 minutes where nothing happened followed by 44 minutes of all hell breaking loose.
Clayton McMillan's side led through two Jack Crowley penalties before Tadhg Beirne was sin-binned and Toulon, through Domon, scored a converted try to give them a half-time lead.
They added two more in a 10-minute spell after the break in between a Calvin Nash try.
Alex Nankivell saw yellow, as did two Toulon forwards, but Munster hit back with tries from Jack O'Donoghue and Tom Farrell, which was converted to put them ahead.
However, they were denied another famous European victory against the same opposition they beat here two years ago, as man of the match Domon slotted over his fifth kick of the day to hand Munster a second loss of the campaign.
Neither side could find a semblance of rhythm to their game for much of the opening half with sporadic bursts of good play more often than not halted by an unforced error.
An early Nash breakaway led to nothing when Farrell lost the ball forward on the 22.
The visitors had the better at scrum-time but both sides' lineouts were scrappy and handling errors resulted in a number of stoppages, while two Munster kicks went out on the full.
The first score came from a typical play where Toulon stole a Munster lineout before winger Gael Drean knocked on under no pressure. A Munster player was tackled off the ball and Crowley (below) tapped over.
Neither side was looking after the ball and when Toulon lost possession on the Munster 22, Daly hacked ahead and Nash led the chase until Drean won the race to touchdown.
Edwin Edogbo and O'Donoghue put in big plays to prevent Toulon from taking advantage of 80% first-half territory and when Kyle Sinckler was penalised at a scrum eight minutes before the break, Crowley duly obliged to double the Munster lead.
Another loose Munster lineout preceded a harsh penalty call on Farrell for a late hit on Mathis Ferte, but Toulon had a foothold and were able to make their pressure tell.
And it came at quite the cost as Beirne, while Toulon played a penalty advantage, gave away a second cynical penalty, similar to his costly sin-binning against Bath in round one, and was shown a yellow card.
Dave Ribbans thought he had scored but Shane Daly's tackle only delayed the inevitable as Domon rounded Jeremy Loughman.
It took the Top 14 side just four minutes to extend their lead after the resumption as Munster's defence couldn't hold out a multi-phase attack to allow scrum-half Ben White in under the posts.
But when Toulon failed to deal with the restart, Munster struck off a scrum with Nankivell punching a hole up the middle before Ben O'Connor fired a perfect pass to Nash in the corner.
Pierre Mignoni's side hit straight back with winger Drean first doing well to retrieve a poor pass before chipping and collecting a bouncing ball in the Munster 22 and scoring close to the sticks.
The lineout was causing more problems and Daly had to be alert to clean up a White kick before another moment of madness saw a second yellow card.
This time Nankivell, bound to a ruck, played the ball from White's grasp and went to the bin.
The hosts looked sure to extend their lead but Dan Kelly spoiled Ribbans' offload attempt and then Casey came up with a clever play that saw Toulon down to 14.
The Ireland scrum-half tapped a mark with Esteban Abadie not retreating quickly enough before more indiscipline at the breakdown allowed Domon to push the lead out to nine points with 15 minutes to play.
Backs to the wall, Munster turned over the ball at the lineout and Daly was stopped short before JJ Hanrahan's kick found Kelly, who got the ball back to O'Donoghue (above) to flop over.
Captain Charles Ollivon, meanwhile, replaced his team-mate in the bin for a deliberate knock on.
Brian Gleeson led a counter-ruck that brought Munster into the 22 but the lineout throw went astray and it appeared the chance had gone.
But Hanrahan blocked down the kick and Casey regathered before Kelly and Nankivell combined to send Farrell (below) in with Crowley's kick putting the two-time champions ahead.
The drama wasn't finished there.
Referee Karl Dickson adjudged Farrell went offside - "made the tackle, taking the space", insisted the Englishman - and Domon wasn't going to miss from in front of the posts with three minutes left.
Munster couldn't regain possession and two of a total of 14 penalties conceded came in the final throes.
However, they'll set up for a Thomond Park clash with Castres on Saturday with a losing bonus point after getting a pile of bodies under a French ball-carrier at the death.
So close to another massive Munster moment.
Scorers
Toulon: Tries: Marius Domon, Ben Whitel, Gael Drean
Cons: Domon (3)
Pens: Domon (2)
Munster: Tries: Calvin Nash, Jack O'Donoghue, Tom Farrell
Cons: Jack Crowley (2)
Pens: Crowley (2)
Toulon: Marius Domon; Gael Drean, Nacho Brex, Jeremy Sinzelle, Mathis Ferte; Tomas Albornoz, Ben White; Jean-Baptiste Gros, Teddy Baubigny, Kyle Sinckler; Charles Ollivon (capt), David Ribbans; Lewis Ludlam, Esteban Abadie, Zach Mercer.
Replacements: Jeremy Toevalu (Baubigny 76), Leo Ametlla (Sinckler 76), Dany Priso (Gros 47), Brian Alainu'uese (Ribbans 56), Corentin Mezou (Mercer 75), Jules Coulon, Paolo Garbisi (Albornoz 27-37 HIA), Setariki Tuicuvu.
Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Ben O'Connor; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Michael Ala'alatoa; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Tadhg Beirne (capt), Jack O’Donoghue, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell (Barron 44), Michael Milne (Loughman 55), John Ryan (Ala’alatoa 55) , Ruadhán Quinn (Edogbo 55), Brian Gleeson (Coombes 64), Ethan Coughlan (Casey 72), JJ Hanrahan (O'Connor 64), Dan Kelly (Nash 55).
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
