Rugby Celtic League reports and preview: Ulster may have pilfered victory in last night's Celtic League clash at Musgrave Park eight minutes into injury time but they just about deserved their success on the balance of play. Their triumph was achieved despite twice having a player in the sin bin.

Adam Larkin's penalty decided the issue, a tussle that was laden with tension but also dogged by a multitude of mistakes. Munster almost snatched the win, primarily through outhalf Jeremy Staunton's excellent place-kicking but the overall quality of their performance was patchy at best.

Ulster were more assertive in possession and the three-quarter line travails of last week weren't repeated. The pack though laid the foundation for this win, Andy Ward, Matt McCullough and scrumhalf Kieran Campbell producing high quality performances.

Munster too had some excellent individual displays, notably livewire scrumhalf Eoin Reddan, Stephen Keogh, Staunton and Mike Mullins but too often were stymied by a lack of penetration; players receiving the ball standing still rather than running onto possession.

Ulster mixed their game intelligently, probing close-in and out wide and when Munster's back three drifted forward using Larkin's diagonal punting to establish good field positions. Defensively the visitors offered a white blanket in the first half: Staunton on two occasions, David Wallace and Mike Mullins managed to break the gain line on a couple of occasions but the breaches eventually petered out on errors.

Therein was the nub of Munster's performance in the opening 40 minutes, too many errors and often of their own instigation. The back line lacked depth, offloading in the tackle but to static team members who had to seek the immediate solace of the ground just to hang onto possession. It was all a little convoluted, all enacted in cluttered corridors that made handling difficult.

The home side weren't helped by the fact that the basics of the game, scrum and lineout were under considerable pressure. The Ulster eight followed on from their excellent scrummaging display against Leinster to seriously discomfit their opponents and it was risible that the only penalty awarded as the front rows popped on several occasions went to Munster.

Individuals within the Ulster pack were making inroads as ball carriers, Matt McCullough and the excellent Andy Ward. Seamus Mallon also used his physique in the centre.

Munster never quite mustered the same dynamism with the exception of a sporadically employed David Wallace, captain for the night in the absence of the injured Jim Williams and Staunton's occasional half breaks.

Ulster appeared to possess the greater cutting edge but it was Munster who recorded the first points, a brace of Staunton penalties from three attempts. When visiting prop Ronan McCormack was harshly sin binned for transgressing at a ruck, it seemed the ideal opportunity for Munster to develop that advantage but instead it was Ulster that picked up the gauntlet.

Munster scrumhalf Eoin Reddan fumbled the re-start, resulting in a penalty that Larkin posted from close to the touchline. Within a minute Ulster were ahead. Mike Mullins chip was knocked on by a team-mate, Ulster though won quick ruck ball and moved it wide. Ward bounced one tackler on an excellent 40-yard run and timed his inside pass perfectly to the supporting Mallon, who cantered under the posts.

Larkin added the conversion and in first-half injury time posted a long-range penalty to leave the visitors 13-6 ahead. The Ulster outhalf though suffered an alarming reverse in his place-kicking fortunes after the break, the nearest he managed with four opportunities was to strike the crossbar.

Munster, outplayed for much of the third quarter, wrested the momentum. Once again Staunton was the catalyst, initially with a sharp break, the second occasion with his vision and distribution.

The Munster outhalf thumped a 45-metre penalty between the posts to reduce the deficit to 13-9 but despite the benefit of some questionable decisions, they continued to undermine their own prospects by trying to glad-handle static possession: the recipient usually engulfed.

Staunton nudged the home side to within a point with another superbly struck penalty and when Ulster were harshly penalised yet again, the Munster outhalf converted brilliantly from 22 metres.

It seemed the final act but Ulster refused to buckle, stretching Munster one way then another until finally the cover was wafer thin and the concession of a penalty was inevitable. Larkin, with eight minutes of injury time on the clock, shaved the left hand post from 22 metres, fortunately on the right side for the visitors.

Scoring: 13 mins: Staunton penalty, 3-0; 29: Staunton penalty, 6-0; 31: Larkin penalty, 6-3; 32: Mallon try, Larkin conversion, 6-10; 40 (+4); Larkin penalty, 6-13. Half-time: 6-13. 65: Staunton penalty, 9-13; 78: Staunton penalty, 12-13; 80 (+3): Staunton penalty, 15-13; 80 (+8): Larkin penalty, 15-16.

MUNSTER: S Payne; M McPhail, M Mullins, J Jones-Hughes, M Lawlor; J Staunton, E Reddan; S Kerr, J Flannery, M Cahill; T Hogan, D Pusey; S Keogh, D Wallace, J Williams. Replacements: D Crotty, C O'Sullivan, F Murphy, C McMahon, F Roche for Flannery 40 (+1) mins; J Danagher for Cahill 54 mins; E Halvey for Pusey 67 mins.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Young, S Mallon, S Stewart, T Howe; A Larkin, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, R Moore; M Mustchin, M McCullough; A Ward (capt), T McWhirter, N Best. Replacements: N Brady, R Spee, J Topping. B Young for McWhirter 36-38 mins; R Constable for Mallon 60 mins; R Wilson for McWhirter 60 mins; R Frost for Mustchin 63 mins; B Young for Moore 72 mins.

Referee: N Owens (Wales).