Hanrahan snatches late draw
Replacement JJ Hanrahan rescued a 25-all Pro12 draw for Munster as Ian Keatley converted his last-gasp try to deny Scarlets.
The first half was a kicking contest between the two flyhalves – Steve Shingler scoring 12 points to Keatley's six – but youngster Jack O'Donoghue got Munster back in the game with a close-range try.
Munster had not won at Parc y Scarlets since December 2011 and Hadleigh Parkes touched down just past the hour – while Shingler added another seven points.
However, Munster rallied bravely at the end as Felix Jones and then Hanrahan bulldozed over with Scarlets down to 14 men, as Keatley clinched the draw with the last act of the game.
Scarlets have a fiercely proud home record – they had not lost in the GUINNESS PRO12 since Boxing Day 2013 – and were handed the perfect start after a Munster infringement at scrum time.
Shingler took the points on offer but, following a brief stoppage after an injury to Scarlets lock Joe Snyman, Keatley levelled up proceedings due to another scrum penalty.
Tit-for-tat it stayed between both sides and in particular Shingler and Keatley, who added another three points each.
The game had been picked as a trial for new Hawk-Eye video technology and it was referred to for the first time when Donncha O'Callaghan was adjudged to have gone in too high on Scarlets full-back Jordan Williams.
O'Callaghan escaped without further action but Shingler obliged with the penalty and had his fourth penalty of the day just moments later, as Scarlets edged into a six-point lead.
Keatley was first to blink from the tee – missing a routine kick by his standards down the centre – but as the half wore on Munster looked more of a threat with ball in hand.
Jones made an incisive break while CJ Stander was also involved, but the latter knocked on to bring a promising passage of play to a halt.
And just as the Munstermen came again, an unnecessary use of the boot by Duncan Williams on Harry Robinson – as the Scarlet was trying to roll away – forced referee Dudley Phillips to show him the yellow card.
The Irish province saw a Scarlets surge off before the break but despite their man disadvantage, Munster applied the pressure early in the second half.
A Keith Earls break – finished off with an exquisite looping pass – gave Munster great position but it came to nothing as equally fine Scarlets defending held them out.
Time was up for Williams and with their full complement restored, this time they were not to be a denied – O'Donoghue making it back-to-back GUINNESS PRO12 tries after a series of pick-and-goes.
Keatley's extras saw Munster edge to within one point of Scarlets but on the hour-mark Shingler stepped up again to nail his most impressive penalty of the game from some 50 metres out.
And moments later Keatley made a critical error, as his kick was charged down for Parkes to help the ball on and dot down after a successful chase.
Munster continued on the backfoot and after conceding a penalty in the scrum, a simple Shingler penalty took the game further away from their grasp.
The visitors were not about to give up and Dave Kilcoyne looked to have barged over the try-line, but there was not enough compelling evidence to suggest the prop grounded the ball.
Amid more desperate Scarlets defence George Earle was sent to the sin bin and that gave Jones enough room to cross wide out on the left.
Keatley was off with the conversion but he got his second chance after Munster battered through the phases, before Hanrahan was found in acres of space to canter underneath the posts.
The scorers:
For Scarlets:
Try: Parkes
Con: Shingler
Pen: Shingler 6
For Munster:
Tries: O'Donoghue, Jones, Hanrahan
Con: Keatley 2
Pen: Keatley 2
Yellow cards: Duncan Williams (Munster, 38), George Earle (Scarlets, 74)
Teams:
Scarlets: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Regan King, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Michael Tagicakibau, 10 Steven Shingler, 9 Aled Davies, 8 John Barclay, 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Johan Snyman, 4 Lewis Rawlins, 3 Peter Edwards, 2 Ken Owens (captain), 1 Phil John.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 George Earle, 20 Rob McCusker, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Kristian Phillips.
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Denis Hurley (captain), 11 Luke O'Dea, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Duncan Williams, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 6 Dave O'Callaghan, 5 Billy Holland, 4 Donnacha O'Callaghan, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Kevin O'Byrne, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Eusebio Guinazu, 17 John Ryan, 18 BJ Botha, 19 Jack O'Donoghue, 20 Paddy Butler, 21 Neil Cronin, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Ivan Dineen.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Greg Morgan (Wales)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)
