The Magners League contest was over shadowed by the shock midweek dismissal of Scarlets Head Coach Phil Davies, however, first half tries by Dafydd James and Matthew Watkins looked set to lift the Llanelli region. However, the Heineken Cup finalists fought back in emphatic fashion before Warwick put the final nail in the coffin with a 52-metre penalty in the 90th minute.
Davies’s former Assistant and Caretaker Boss Paul Moriarty said: “It summed up our season. We’ve been in that position in many games with a slender lead but a lack of concentration has cost us. It kicks you in the teeth. It’s been tough. I have known Phil for a long time and he was cut deep and really disappointed with his dismissal. We were all shocked. But it’s a results business and our European campaign was a disaster. We’ve just never recovered from that.”
The Scarlets were without a string of top stars including Sale-bound scrum-half Dwayne Peel who is out of Wales’s summer tour to South Africa following a shoulder operation and will not play for the region again. The Welsh region made the worst possible start after Ian Dowling crashed over with consummate ease in the left corner on three minutes.
The hosts hit back through two Stephen Jones penalties following David Wallace’s yellow card for a professional foul on Scarlets scrum-half Gavin Cattle. The Scarlets wasted little time in extending their numerical advantage on 27 minutes when Dafydd James darting past three challenges to score under the posts.
Toulouse scouts will have been watching with interest as Darren Daniel then steamed through the feeble tackles of Tomas O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara to spark wild celebrations. Jones converted as the Scarlets roared into a 20-5 interval lead. O’Gara launched the visitors fight back with a penalty before Dowling pounced with his second try six minutes later after taking Federico Pucciariello’s pass. Jones and Warwick exchanged penalties before the former Connacht man touched down in the left corner in the 87th minute before clinching the match with his long-range boot.
Munster defence coach Tony McGahan said: “It wasn’t a great display but you can’t question the character or commitment of the players.”
Llanelli Scarlets 23 Munster 24
Scarlets
Tries: D James, M Watkins
Con: S Jones (2)
Pen: S Jones (3)
Munster
Tries: I Dowling (2), P Warwick
Pen: R O’Gara, P Warwick (2)
Yellow Cards: D Wallace 21, L Reed 89
Attendance: 7,020
