Munster consolidated their position at the top of the Guinness PRO12 table with a hard-fought 16-9 victory over Connacht at the Galway Sportsground.

In difficult playing conditions, Ian Keatley and Jack Carty exchanged penalties in the first half before Luke Marshall, at the back of a Munster driving maul, crossed for the game’s only try.

David Kilcoyne’s late yellow card meant Munster finished the game a man down and Carty was able to kick his third penalty of the night to earn a losing bonus point for his side.

Keatley had kicked the first points of the evening, with Duncan Williams holding the ball in place, after just two minutes to take an early 3-0 lead.

Scrum-half Keiran Marmion almost had the first try of the game with nine minutes on the clock as he chased down a kick but after referring the decision to the TMO, no try was awarded.

With 17 minutes gone, Connacht won a penalty ten metres inside the Munster half but fly-half Jack Carty’s effort went wide and Munster retained their three point advantage.

Carty did manage to level the scores on the hour half but the visitors restored their narrow advantage through the boot of Keatley with two minutes left of the first half.

And it was the Munster fly-half who stepped up first after the break to try and extend the lead with a long range penalty effort which fell just short of the posts.

Another penalty, this time at a scrum, then gave Connacht the chance to level the scores once more and Carty duly obliged with a successful kick from inside the Munster 22 with 50 minutes gone.

Marshall crossed for the first try of the match just before the hour as the Munster forwards drove over the line from a five metre lineout.

Keatley added the vital extras despite the slippery conditions under foot to take the score to 13-6 with 20 minutes left to play.

And the fly-half, who was named man of the match, crucially took the visitors’ advantage to ten points on 68 minutes as he took knocked over a drop goal.

Replacement Kilcoyne was sent to the bin for repeated infringements as Munster were forced to conclude the game with just 14 men.

And as Connacht piled on the pressure with the extra man they earned another penalty which Carty successfully kicked to earn his side the losing bonus point.

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