Ospreys soar further clear

Rhys Webb: breakaway try

Ospreys extended their lead at the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 table with a 17-13 victory away at fellow high-flyers Munster.

Rhys Webb's breakaway try in the 56th minute proved crucial in the final reckoning, as the visitors handed Munster a first league loss at Thomond Park since April 2010.

Munster centre Danny Barnes scored the only try of a poor first half early on, the Ospreys hitting back through the boot of Dan Biggar to reduce the arrears to 10-6 by the interval.

Webb's score, which was sparked by Barry Davies' interception, edged the Welsh region in front and a last-minute penalty from Biggar sealed the result.

Charged down

Munster had broken the deadlock in just the third minute when Barnes charged down Hanno Dirksen's clearance kick and collected the loose ball to cross to the left of the posts.

Ian Keatley landed the conversion but from then on Ospreys dominated territory, as well as the scrum, in the opening period.

A penalty saw Biggar split the posts with his first attempt at goal, only for Keatley to restore the seven-point advantage with a penalty of his own.

In the final minute of the half, another infringement at a scrum allowed Biggar to make it just a four-point difference at half-time.

Referee James Jones reached for his yellow card when prop Stephen Archer collapsed a scrum four minutes into the second half, and Biggar was successful with the resulting penalty from 40 metres to further reduce the gap.

However, the Welsh side were then reduced to 14 men themselves when captain Justin Tipuric was sent to the sin-bin for having his hands in the ruck.

Keatley's penalty attempt cannoned back off a post and Munster's advances on the Ospreys line - aided by solid scrummaging from replacement BJ Botha - were thwarted.

But, just as Munster seemed to be getting on top, a loose pass was intercepted by Davies, who combined with Richard Fussell to send the supporting Webb sprinting over in the left corner.

Keatley converted a penalty to make the score 14-13 and although Biggar did miss a drop goal attempt, he made no mistake when another scrum penalty allowed him to slot over three more points with the final kick of the contest.