However, there was more to it that insofar as the Welsh side came to play and brought a physicality and no small amount of vivacity that in other circumstances would have had the home side happy to share the spoils. And even though the half-time might indicate otherwise it was an entertaining and fast flowing opening half.

From a Munster perspective, reasons to be cheerful, besides a solid scrum, were the return to something like his real form for Ronan O'Gara who kicked the points on offer, forced the Osprey speedster back three to counter from deep and moved his backline well. There was also a satisfying first start at scrum-half for Cathal Sheridan, Dave Kilcoyne made some serious carries while Stephen Archer, despite a yellow card, continues to show signs of real progress.

Taking Matthew Morgan's game starter Munster shifted the ball right and left but inside their own 22 and ended by coughing up possession and conceding the scrum. They continued to dominate and O'Gara opened their account with a 4th minute penalty, just reward for the early effort. Minutes later he should have had the chance to make it 6 when Nigel Owens indicated a penalty but the Welsh official somehow declined to go back when no advantage accrued from the very next play.

Both sides continued to spread the ball but two pinpoint kicks from O'Gara, the first to the left hand corner and then the second that had Kahn Fotuali'i in all sorts of bother on the other side represented Munster's best patch. That phase ended with an Ospreys break-out that needed a last gasp Jones tackle on Tom Habberfield to save a try.

Level six all at the break Munster started the second half in determined mode and were rewarded when a series of drives ended in a try for Damien Varley left of the posts leaving O'Gara with a tap-over.

Moments later when Munster were penalised and Archer binned, Morgan spurned the three points on offer, opting for the lineout and from that Jonathan Thomas crashed over in the corner with Morgan firing over the touchline conversion.

The game played itself out with little much drama, neither side afforded much opportunity to snatch victory until right at the very death when O'Gara had a go from distance with a drop goal effort that drifted right and wide.

Munster: F Jones (I Keatley 71 min); D Howlett, C Laulala, J Downey, D Hurley; R O'Gara, C Sheridan (D Williams 60 min); D Kilcoyne W du Preez 63 min), D Varley (M Sherry 60 min), S Archer (BJ Botha 60 min); I Nagle (D Foley 61 min), B Holland; P Butler, T O'Donnell, J Coughlan.

Ospreys: R Fussell; T Habberfield, J Spratt, A Beck, T Isaacs; M Morgan, K Fotuali'i; D Jones, S Baldwin, C Griffiths; A Wyn Jones capt, L Peers; J King, S Lewis, J Thomas. Replacements: M Dwyer, M Thomas, D Arhip, I Gough, D Baker, A Ellis/S Davies, R Webb, T Grabham.

Referee: Nigel Owens.