Munster 22 (10)
Tries: Payne, Buckley, O'Connell.
Cons: Wariwck 2.
Pen: Warwick.

Wing Tal Selley sealed a dramatic Cardiff Blues comeback with a try deep in injury time to deny Munster at the Arms Park.

The Blues were trailing 22-11 with 22 minutes left after Paul O'Connell capped his comeback from injury with a try converted by Paul Warwick.

But the Blues were not to be denied as first wing Jamie Roberts crossed, then provided the scoring pass for Selley.

The win keeps the Blues' Magners League title challenge firmly on track.

Paul Warwick's clever chip over the Blues defence paved the way for full-back Shaun Payne's try in the first minute and the Munster fly-half converted via the woodwork.

Ben Blair struck back with a penalty and after Warwick failed with a shot of his own the visitors had a chance to stretch their lead, only for Alan Quinlan's run to be halted by the intervention of touch judge Phil Fear.

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That led to a failed penalty attempt from rookie Blues fly-half Rhys Jones after Fear spotted prop Federico Pucciariello shoulder-charging John Yapp at a ruck.

But that did not deter the hosts as Jones sent Jamie Robinson hurtling through the visitors' defence and, after good support from Gareth Thomas and Paul Tito, hooker Rhys Thomas produced a final flourish to touch down.

Blair could not convert Thomas' 22nd-minute score, but Warwick was on target once more, again with the help of an upright, to give the Irish province a 10-8 lead at half-time.

Prop Tony Buckley proved his credentials as one of Irish rugby's rising stars with a powerful drive seven minutes after the break.

Veteran O'Connell followed his front-row colleague to the line and fly-half Warwick converted to leave the Blues facing a huge challenge.

The hosts proved up to it as replacement fly-half Nick Macleod's inside pass sent former Wales captain Gareth Thomas haring up the middle.

After he was hauled down, the Blues secured quick ball and skipper Xavier Rush's perfectly-weighted pass gave Roberts the chance to use his strength to crash over.

Blair converted and after Munster kept possession for more than five minutes in their own 22, the initiative shifted to the Blues and Roberts combined with Selley to give Blair the easiest of conversions.

Blues: Ben Blair; Tal Selley, Jamie Robinson, Gareth Thomas, Jamie Roberts; Rhys Jones, Richie Rees; John Yapp, T Rhys Thomas, Gary Powell, Deiniol Jones, Paul Tito, Mamma Molitika, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Xavier Rush (capt).
Replacements: Nick Macleod for Rhys Jones (59), Jason Spice for Richie Rees (56), Gareth Williams for Rhys Thomas (59),Taufa'ao Filise for Gary Powell (59), Scott Morgan for Paul Tito (56), Ben White for Maama Molitika (72). Not Used: Dafydd. Hewitt.

Munster: Shaun Payne; Brian Carney, Kieran Lewis, Lifeimi Mafi, Doug Howlett; Paul Warwick, Peter Stringer; Federico Pucciariello, Frank Sheahan, Tony Buckley; Donnacha Ryan, Paul O'Connell (capt); Alan Quinlan, Niall Ronan, Anthony Foley.
Replacements: Denis Fogarty for Frank Sheahan (68), Eugene McGovern, Mark Melbourne, John O'Sullivan for Niall Ronan (73), James Coughlan for Anthony Foley (73); not used: Eugene McGovern, Mark Melbourne, Tomas O'Leary, Jeremy Manning.

Att:11,269

Referee: Peter Allan (SRU).