Munster pay the penalty

Ronan O'Gara failed with four penalties attempts as Munster slipped to a 19-14 Magners League defeat at the Ospreys.

But while O'Gara - standing in as skipper for the injured Paul O'Connell - was wayward with his boot, Ospreys opposite number Dan Biggar proved more reliable as he kicked 14 of his side's points.

The victory provided revenge for the Ospreys who shipped more than 100 points to Munster in three defeats last season, while it also brought to an end a four-match losing streak.

Munster were shorn of the services of skipper O'Connell who was forced to pull out of the contest at the last hour with a calf strain.

The Ospreys were also without their skipper with Ryan Jones still sidelined by a back complaint - Jerry Collins leading the side in his absence.

The hosts made a somewhat fortuitous start having been penalised four times in the first eleven minutes as O'Gara twice missed shots at goal after four and six minutes.

However, Munster did hit the front on 13 minutes when they were awarded a penalty try from a scrum much to anger of the home support - O'Gara adding a simple conversion from just in front of the posts.

Ospreys soon responded as Biggar landed his first penalty of the encounter, but just two minutes later they lost Alun-Wyn Jones to the sin-bin for a professional foul. But O'Gara could not ensure it doubly costly as he again missed the subsequent penalty.

Biggar then saw a long-range effort rebound off the crossbar before he kicked a 38th-minute penalty to get the Ospreys within a point, to make it 7-6 at the interval.

Momentum

They carried that momentum into the second period and moved ahead when Tommy Bowe went in at the right corner for a converted try after good work from Gareth Owen and Biggar.

Biggar blotted his copybook rather as he spurned a penalty opportunity after Munster hooker John Fogarty was sin-binned for a professional foul. But he made amends on 57 minutes as he slotted a drop-goal to extend the lead to 16-7.

By contrast O'Gara's misery continued as he watched his fourth attempt of the night drift wide on the hour mark and Biggar again rubbed salt in the wound as he planted his third penalty from the halfway line as the home lead moved out to twelve.

But Munster kept scrapping for points and got some late joy as replacement Nick Williams went in for an injury-time to fray home nerves.