Glasgow Warriors lost for the first time at Firhill against Irish opposition since May 2006 as Munster, thanks to an impressive bonus point victory, kept ahead of their title-chasing rivals at the top of the Magners League.

Flanker Niall Ronan helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as Munster confidently returned to league action by claiming all five points on offer at Firhill.

Showing greater ball retention, tactical nous and breakdown skills, the league leaders outgunned Glasgow despite having number 8 James Coughlan sin-binned shortly before half-time.

The Scottish outfit had their periods of dominance but the concession of two tries in a nine-minute period after half-time put the game beyond their reach.

Glasgow’s Dan Parks missed four first half place-kicks – 10 points in all – and he was second best to Munster out-half Paul Warwick in open play.

Warwick, who missed three kicks at goal, created the province’s second try for centre Keith Earls and was part of a very effective half-back partnership alongside returning Grand Slam winner Peter Stringer.

Warwick missed an early penalty attempt before Max Evans sliced through the Munster midfield, breaking past Earls, to set up fit-again winger Lome Fa’atau for a simple run-in to the try-line.

Johnnie Beattie deserves credit for initiating the attack but after Parks missed the conversion attempt, Munster wasted little time in hitting back at the hosts.

On 12 minutes, the Munster forwards rumbled on and from a ruck close to the Glasgow 22, stand-in captain Mick O’Driscoll popped a pass for the onrushing Ronan to gather and he powered over to the left of the posts.

Warwick’s conversion had the visitors 7-5 ahead but the Warriors immediately made amends.

Alan Quinlan failed to gather Parks’ restart kick and after the Glasgow pack had made good headway, flanker Kelly Brown tapped a free-kick and muscled his way over the whitewash from close range.

Television match official Jim Yuille confirmed the score but Parks missed the conversion and a subsequent penalty attempt, just when Glasgow looked capable of pulling clear.

Munster looked dangerous out wide and the Scots needed their Argentinian full-back Bernardo Stortoni to be on his toes to thwart a back-line move.

But after some strong play from O’Driscoll and company, Warwick seized his chance as he rounded Parks and offloaded for Earls to glide over for a 28th-minute try, which the Australian converted.

Parks was off target with a long range penalty but he redeemed himself by bisecting the posts after Coughlan had been binned for killing the ball, following another break from the lively Evans.

Warwick failed to convert an injury-time penalty, leaving Munster’s lead at just 14-13 after an entertaining, four-try first half.

Tony McGahan’s men opened the second period in business-like fashion and with Stringer producing a superb kick to the right corner, the forwards made the most of the territorial pressure to help Ronan burrow over from metres out.

The visitors added their bonus point score on 58 minutes after Warwick had pinned Glasgow back with another excellent touch-finder – this time from a penalty.

The lineout was won and Glasgow struggled to cope with the drive as bodies piled over the line and Ronan was adjudged to have gotten the touchdown, his third of the game. Warwick added the conversion for a 26-13 scoreline.

Glasgow, who have now lost their last four league games, could find little in response until the closing stages of the final quarter.

The home side mounted a late push for a consolation try and possible losing bonus point but Munster stubbornly held out with Warwick kicking the ball dead after a well-won turnover.

Speaking afterwards, Glasgow coach Sean Lineen said: "We let in two soft tries out of nothing. We didn’t win the gain-line battle and we didn’t front-up physically. We were simply out-muscled.

"They had a very simple game-plan, maybe we just tried to play too much rugby."

His opposite number McGahan said: "This was a tremendous victory for us because it’s some time since an Irish team has won here.

"And all the more so, because Glasgow produced a good performance and had us on the rack for periods in the game.

"But we hung in well and defended well in the last few minutes when Glasgow pounded our line. This typified our performance throughout the game."