Holders Munster kept their Magners League challenge on course on Thursday as a depleted side edged the Scarlets 23-17 at Musgrave Park.
Jean de Villers and James Coughlan crossed the line for Tony McGahan’s side in the first half after Rhys Priestland had touched down for the Dragons to kick off the night’s scoring.
Priestland would score all of his side’s points while the boot of Paul Warwick proved an important part of Munster’s arsenal as they were forced to fight very hard for the win.
The visitors made an electric start with Priestland claiming the fastest Magners League try of the season within the first minute as he broke away dow the left to latch onto his own chip and barged over the line.
He missed the conversion and that meant that Munster were soon cancelling out his efforts and getting in front after de Villiers got on the trysheet. The men in red had forced a sustained period of pressure and the South African eventually made it over the Welsh region’s line.
A penalty from Priestland saw the Scarlets temporarily back in front but Warwick cancelled that out after Deacon Manu went in the sin bin. Warwick was then needed to put over a second conversion after a try just before the interval from Coughlan, a second home try garnered from intense pressure.
Priestland continued to lead the Scarlets’ cause as he put over his third penalty of the game to bring the gap to 17-11 and the second half proved to be a battle between himself and Warwick, both kicking six more points as the result ultimately meant that the Scarlets took home a bonus point. Replacement Tommy O’Donnell was sent to the bin near the death for Munster but they had done just enough for the four points.