Two Conor Murray tries and a penalty try along with 10 points from the boot of Joey Carbery saw Munster secure a comprehensive win over Leinster on a satisfying Saturday night at the RDS.
The victory saw Munster start off the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup with a well-deserved victory ahead of two home Interpros against Ulster and Connacht next month.
Damien de Allende was named Guinness Player of the Match after a fine performance from the centre.
Murray scored his first try on four minutes as Peter O’Mahony’s tackle on Hugh O’Sullivan won back possession before de Allende weaved his way through the Leinster defence before a brilliant one-handed pass sent Murray in to score. Carbery converted for a 7-0 lead.
Munster were pinged for not rolling away on eight minutes with replacement David Hawkshaw, on after Harry Byrne picked up an early knock, kicking the three points.
A big carry from Jean Kleyn in midfield earned a penalty after Hawkshaw ripped the ball on the ground but Munster’s attack off the resulting lineout was spoiled by a rare Murray knock-on.
Stephen Archer was sin-binned on 33 minutes for standing on James Ryan after a TMO referral with the initial penalty reversed after the Leinster lock was pinged for lying on the wrong side.
Despite being down to 14, Munster increased their lead on 36 minutes as Carbery kicked his first penalty after Scott Penny was penalised for not rolling away.
Jack O’Donoghue was penalised for foul play at the ruck on the stroke of half-time but Hawkshaw was off target and Munster led 10-3 at the break.
O’Donoghue won a vital turnover penalty early in the second half before de Allende won another big turnover on halfway after oppressive Munster defence stifled Leinster’s attack.
The visitors stretched their lead when Ryan Baird obstructed Carbery off the ball and the Munster out-half kicked his second penalty to make it 13-3 after 52 minutes.
De Allende won another brilliant turnover after a dangerous Leinster counter before Baird beat Shane Daly to Farrell’s kick in behind the defence.
Munster scored their second try on 62 minutes as Murray dotted down from close range with de Allende, replacement Gavin Coombes and Chris Farrell all carrying in the build-up.
The victory was clinched on 71 minutes as a dominant Munster maul was collapsed and a penalty try awarded with Leinster’s Cormac Foley sin-binned.
The Munster maul nearly secured the bonus-point try late on but the officials ruled that it was stopped legally and Munster had to settle for four match points rather than five.
Munster: Mike Haley; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly (Calvin Nash, 62); Joey Carbery (Ben Healy, 67), Conor Murray (Craig Casey, 62); Dave Kilcoyne (Jeremy Loughman, 59), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron, 73), Stephen Archer (Keynan Knox, 66); Jean Kleyn (Fineen Wycherley, 55), Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (C), Jack O’Donoghue (Keynan Knox, 40 – 44) (Gavin Coombes, 55), CJ Stander.