Young Munster returned to the top of the first division with a convincing, but not entirely satisfactory, victory over Dungannon at Clifford Park on Saturday.

While Young Munster fully deserved their victory, they lost a great opportunity of claiming a bonus point which could prove so vital at the end of the season.

Having scored three trys and jumped into a 25-3 lead within seven minutes of the restart, they swarmed all over the Dungannon line in search of a fourth, but through a combination of their own shortcomings and dogged defence by the visitors, they failed to capitalise on their domination.

Instead it was Dungannon who finished by far the stronger and were rewarded with well taken trys by fullback Mark Bradley and prop Gary Leslie, one of which David Humphreys converted.

While Dungannon never looked like saving the day, their cause was not helped by the absence of Paddy Johns, whose wife had given birth to twins two days previously.

Dungannon struggled from the outset to get into the game as Tom Cregan put over two penalties for Young Munster, who made light of yellow cards for Mike Mullins and Paul O'Connell, to stretch their lead with a splendid try by winger Denis O'Dowd.

Cregan converted, and, even though a penalty by Humphreys reduced Dungannon's deficit, the home side struck again on the stroke of half-time when Mullins showed remarkable acceleration in racing 40 yards for a smashing try which Cregan converted, to make it 20-3 at the interval.

Cregan himself scored his side's third try in the 47th minute, but after that Young Munster took their foot off the pedal and Dungannon subsequently enjoyed the better of matters.

Scoring sequence: 10 mins: T Cregan pen 3-0, 24 mins: Cregan pen 6-0, 31 mins: D O'Dowd try, Cregan con 13-0, 33 mins: Humphreys pen 13-3, 40 mins: Mullins try, Cregan con 20-3, 47 mins: Cregan try 25-3, 65 mins: M Bradley try, Humphreys con 25-10, 75 mins: G Leslie try 25-15.

YOUNG MUNSTER: M Mullins; D O'Dowd, M Lynch, L Doyle, T Cregan, E Buckley, M Prendergast; P Clohessy, M Hayes, M Fitzgerald, P O'Connell, M O'Halloran, B Buckley, G Earls, M Te Pau. Replacements: D McDonagh for O'Halloran (76 mins).

DUNGANNON: M Bradley; J Davis, Alastair Clarke, A Redpath, T Howe, D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, Allen Clarke, G Leslie, C Simpson, K Walker, J Patterson, A Hughes, T McWhirter, Replacements: R Stafford for Simpson (45 mins); P Curry for Allen Clarke (47 mins); P Sanford for Davis (55 mins)

Referee: D McHugh (Munster).