Munster made it two wins from two to start their BKT URC season on Saturday night after a narrow 23-20 win over Cardiff in Thomond Park.
Tries from Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes and Diarmuid Barron, and eight points from the boot of player of the match Jack Crowley ensured a best start to a domestic campaign since 2021.
Cardiff would leave with two bonus points, but Clayton McMillan's men ground it out after an imperfect showing on home soil.
It was Munster who made the more imposing start with Crowley and Dan Kelly almost linking up for a world class score.
Crowley regathered his own chip and chase in midfield, before the Cork man tried an audacious over-the-left-shoulder cross kick towards new man Kelly.
However, the match officials claimed double movement as the centre slid towards the line, and the score was chalked off.
In the build-up, Josh McNally met Shane Daly with a no arms tackle and was sin-binned by referee Griffon Colby. Daly was removed for a HIA, replaced by Seán O'Brien, and would not return.
The card appeared to galvanise the Welsh region, and within five minutes they opened the scoring at the other end.
Callum Sheedy’s grubber kick was met by Josh Adams to run in unopposed.
Munster’s defence was stretched by the Cardiff pack, and although there were claims of obstruction in the final phases, the visitors were clinical with their first entry to the 22.
Despite having the lion's share of possession in the opening quarter, it would be almost a half an hour before Munster would get a five-pointer of their own.
The home side made use of a steady lineout platform, and, orchestrated by fly-half Crowley, moved Cardiff from touchline to touchline, helped by a potency in attack and slick handling.
Within just a few phases, young Ballina-Killaloe flanker Quinn (above) was released by Thaakir Abrahams to dive over in the corner.
Crowley’s conversion attempt drifted wide to leave the sides deadlocked at five points apiece. That was how it would remain until the half-time whistle, but the visitors had chances.
First Fineen Wycherley stole Liam Belcher’s lineout while being camped on their own five metre line. Then, Cardiff closed out the half with sustained pressure following a series of costly errors from Munster.
They would be held up over the line, but referee Griffon Colby spotted a cynical infringement from Munster's Gavin Coombes while under their own posts, and the number 8 was sent to the sin bin.
The Welsh side could not make Munster pay for the man advantage, forcing a pass too many which would hit the deck, and a half of flat proportions ended on a whimper.
Cardiff picked up where they left off in the second half but would go one better straight away.
Hooker Belcher made the initial break in midfield to leave Munster scrambling, and when they got the ball to width, winger Tom Bowen was free to slide over.
The southern province responded to the gauntlet being laid down again and plucked away at a fierce Cardiff defence.
Successive penalties allowed for Coombes to power his way over from close range for his 51st Munster try.
Crowley was successful with the conversion attempt, despite a stiff breeze, to give the home side the lead for the first time in the game, some 53 minutes into proceedings.
With the game finally springing into life, the visitors would go down the field and respond with their third try, benefitting from a couple of helpful bounces of the devious oval-shaped ball.
After the pack tried to burrow over, Sheedy dropped a cross-kick into the waiting arms of the sliding Bowen for his second try.
Like night follows day, Munster followed a Cardiff try with one of their own. This time a scrum penalty led to a tap and go, from which stand-in captain Diarmuid Barron would barrel over.
Suddenly, a damp squib early-season game was living up to the crazy standards we saw in Pretoria, Parma and other venues in the opening fortnight.
When the chance next arose, Munster did opt for the posts. Crowley was successful and pushed them five points clear with 15 minutes remaining.
Crowley, as he did in La Rochelle, slotted a drop goal to push Munster an unassailable eight points in front with the clock ticking down.
But Cardiff had time for another score. Bowen got his hat-trick score to make sure they left two bonus points.
The win sees Munster move up to third in the table, ahead of next Friday’s clash with Edinburgh in Cork.
SCORERS
Munster: Tries – Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes, Diarmuid Barron
Con: Jack Crowley
Pen: Jack Crowley
Dropgoal: Jack Crowley
Yellow card: Gavin Coombes
Cardiff: Tries – Josh Adams, Tom Bowen (3)
Yellow card: Josh McNally
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shane Daly, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Ethan Coughlan; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell (capt), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron (for Scannell, 24-37 and 40), Josh Wycherley (for Loughman, 58), Ronan Foxe (for Jager, 70), Jack O’Donoghue (for Quinn, 54), Brian Gleeson (for F Wycherley, 58), Paddy Patterson (for Coughlan, 53), Tony Butler (for Crowley, 77), Seán O’Brien (for Daly, 9).
Cardiff: Jacob Beetham; Josh Adams, Harri Millard, Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Danny Southworth, Liam Belcher (capt), Javan Sebastian; Josh McNally, Teddy Williams; Alex Mann, Dan Thomas, Alun Lawrence.
Replacements: Daf Hughes (for Belcher, 54), Rhys Barratt (for Southworth, 54), Sam Wainwright (for Sebastian, 68), Ben Donnell (for Mann, 58), Taine Basham (for Thomas, 58), Aled Davies (for Mulder, 67), Ioan Lloyd (for Sheedy, 58), Steff Emanuel.
Referee: Griffon Colby
