David Wallace makes a break for Munster in Galway

Connacht (5) 5
Tries: Riordan

Munster (3) 16
Tries: Howlett
Cons: O'Gara
Pens: Warwick 2, O'Gara

Munster moved into second in the Magners League by coming from behind to take a hard-fought win over Irish rivals Connacht at the Sportsground.

Munster led 3-0 early on thanks to a Paul Warwick penalty but a Daniel Riordan try made it 5-3 to the home side at half-time.

Another Warwick penalty nudged Munster ahead and a penalty by Ronan O'Gara extended Munster's lead to 9-5.

Doug Howlett scored a late try to make the game safe and O'Gara converted.

Munster sprang a surprise by drafting Ireland flanker Denis Leamy in at inside centre and leaving Rua Tipoki, who is recovering from a back injury, on the bench ahead of next week's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Gloucester.

Warwick put Munster ahead with a simple seventh minute penalty but his second attempt later in the first half bounced back off a post.

After a quick turnover, some excellent continuity involving Johnny O'Connor and Conor McPhillips led to Keith Matthews barging past Donncha O'Callaghan and the pacy Daniel Riordan pounced to score in the corner.

Dunne's missed conversion left Connacht 5-3 ahead at half-time but Munster reasserted themselves with a successful Warwick penalty two minutes into the second half.

O'Gara kicked Munster into a 9-5 lead on the hour mark and three minutes from time, All Black winger Howlett intercepted a pass from Connacht fly-half Andy Dunne to race over for the clinching try.

Connacht's wait for their first win over Munster since November 1986 goes on.

Connacht: G Duffy; M Mostyn, M Deane, K Matthews, D Riordan; A Dunne, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris; D Gannon, A Farley (c); J Muldoon, J O'Connor, C Rigney.
Replacements: J Fogarty, B McGovern, A Browne, L Casserly, C McPhillips, T Nathan, D Yapp.

Munster: D. Hurley, Howlett, Mafi, Leamy, Dowling, Warwick, Stringer, Buckley, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, D. Ryan, Quinlan, Wallace, Foley.
Replacements: Sheahan, Horan, O'Connell, Coughlan, O'Leary, O'Gara, Tipoki.