No home comforts as Munster disappoint in Cork

Munster 23 Cardiff Blues 24: Munster lost their opening home game of the Guinness PRO12 campaign in Cork last night and although it was a narrow defeat the failure to win on their own territory will have quickly eradicated the feelgood factor that had permeated through the province this summer.

New director of rugby Rassie Erasmus made winning at home one of the cornerstones of his mission to get Munster back on the road to success but that objective fell by the wayside at the first hurdle as they were edged out by an accomplished and upwardly mobile Cardiff side.

Two converted first-half tries from wing Tom James had been cancelled out by Andrew Conway and replacement prop Dave Kilcoyne either side of the interval but though Ian Keatley kicked all 13 points available to him to keep his team on terms, Munster succumbed to a killer blow 12 minutes from time when Dan Fish scored a try converted by Gareth Anscombe.