Alan Quinlan tackles Mike Phillips at Musgrave Park

Munster (0) 12
Pens: Hickey (4)

Blues (13) 19
Try: James
Pens: Blair (4)
Con: Blair

Cardiff Blues kept their Magners League title hopes alive with victory over Munster at Musgrave Park on Friday.

Blues led 13-0 at half-time with Tom James running through the home defence to score a try and Ben Blair kicking two penalties and a conversion.

Eoghan Hickey replied with four penalties for Munster in the second period to earn his side a bonus point.

Blair added two successful penalty attempts after the break to ensure victory for the visiting Welsh outfit.

Blues centre Jamie Robinson was named man-of-the-match despite being sin-binned for deliberate offside late in the game.

The victory, inspired by James' 26th-minute touchdown, earned Cardiff some revenge for their two Heineken Cup pool defeats at the hands of the reigning European champions.

Dai Young's side had not played for the last five weeks but now leapfrog Edinburgh to lie fourth in the league standings.

"That's the first time Munster have lost here since 2005 and it was a win we really needed.

"We put in a great defensive performance and it's a huge victory. We can still win this title, although it's a tough run-in."

Munster: Cullen, Payne, Murphy, Halstead, Kelly, Hickey, O'Leary, D. Hurley, Sheahan, Pucciariello, Wyatt, O'Driscoll, Quinlan, McGann, O'Sullivan.
Replacements: Mafi for Payne (41), Buckley for D. Hurley (53), Fogarty for Sheahan (78), Melbourne for Pucciariello (69), D. Ryan for Wyatt (46). Not Used: O'Meara, Manning.

Cardiff Blues: Blair, James, J. Robinson, Stcherbina, Czekaj, N. Robinson, Phillips, Filise, R. Thomas, G. Powell, Jones, Sidoli, Morgan, Shellard, Rush.
Replacements: Luveitasau for James (41), Macleod for Stcherbina (80), Lewis for Filise (71), White for Shellard (77). Not Used: Roberts, G. Williams, Evans.

Att: 8,000