Ronan O’Gara spoilt the Scarlets party with the late winner to stretch Munster’s lead at the top of the Magners League.
Ireland ace O’Gara clinched victory with a 78th minute penalty as the Red Army go six points clear of Glasgow.
There was late drama in the first regional match at the new £23million Parc y Scarlets ground in Llanelli after the Scarlets scored a penalty try with three minutes left.
But fly-half O’Gara showed his experience with a composed 30-metre kick to seal victory following first half tries from Ian Dowling and Denis Leamy.
Munster suffered a blow when Leamy limped off with an injury to his right knee in the 68th minute.
O’Gara had taken over the captain’s armband after Paul O’Connell’s hectic autumn schedule with Ireland and was one of seven Ireland stars in a strong line-up.
The Irish province arrived in West Wales with confidence high after O’Connell, Leamy, David Wallace and John Hayes had penned new contract extensions.
Rhys Priestland kicked the match off in perfect conditions but the Red Army, in a changed strip of all-white, took an early lead.
O’Gara’s close-range penalty on three minutes sailed through the posts to dent the atmosphere in the new stadium.
But the Scarlets gave the limited 8,436 crowd – due to health and safety reasons – some cheer with David Lyons and Simon Easterby keeping the hosts on the front foot.
They failed to turn their possession into points as Priestland pulled a 13th minute penalty to the right of the posts.
The 21-year-old made amends eight minutes later when he levelled the scores with a routine penalty following Lifeimi Mafi’s yellow card.
But the Scarlets failed to use the man advantage as the match reached a stalemate in the opening half.
And the visitors made the hosts pay after 30 minutes when quick thinking from Mick O’Driscoll allowed flanker Niall Ronan to put Dowling in space on the left wing.
Dowling cut inside Morgan Stoddart and fended off scrum-half Sililo Martens to touch down.
O’Gara missed the conversion but Munster nearly doubled the try-count four minutes later but Stoddart showed great pace to deny the threatening Dowling from reaching Tomas O’Leary clever kick through.
But the writing was on the wall and the Irishmen took full advantage through Leamy’s try.
The visitors destroyed the Scarlets’ scrum and Leamy picked up the free ball to crash through Lyons’ tackle from five metres out.
O’Gara’s conversion put Munster in control and handed them a healthy 15-3 interval lead.
Priestland’s second penalty in the 42nd minute cut the deficit to nine points but he missed on 58 minutes to let Munster off the hook.
But Priestland kept the Scarlets in the hunt with a penalty on 67 minutes but they had a great chance when Donnacha O’Callaghan was yellow-carded.
The Scarlets were awarded a penalty by James Jones before O’Gara proved to be the party-pooper.
Scorers:
Scarlets – Try: Penalty Try; Con: Priestland Pens: Priestland (3)
Munster – Tries: Dowling, Leamy; Con: O’Gara; Pen: O’Gara (2)
Teams
Scarlets: M Stoddart; M Jacob, R King, G Evans (C Thomas 68), J Davies; R Priestland, S Martens (G Cattle 56); I Thomas (P John 68), K Owens (M Schwalger 56), K Meeuws (D Manu 56), V Cooper, D Day, N Thomas (J Edwards 68), D Lyons, S Easterby (capt – J Edwards 24-34)
Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O’Gara, T O’Leary (P Stringer 63); M Horan (F Pucciariello 62), F Sheahan (D Fogarty 57), T Buckley, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, D Ryan, D Leamy (J Coughlan 68), N Ronan.
Yellow Cards: Mafi 20, O’Callaghan 73
Referee: James Jones (WRU)
Attendance: 8,436
