Pro12: Munster 28-14 Edinburgh

Sam Hidalgo-Clyne spilled the ball as he attempted to avoid conceding a five-metre scrum before Conor Murray's crucial second try

Munster's total scrum superiority ensured a bonus-point Pro12 victory over an Edinburgh side undone by their woes in the crucial set-piece area.

Chris Dean's breakaway try helped Edinburgh lead 7-0 as their breakdown work countered Munster's scrum success.

But two Conor Murray tries before half-time helped Munster lead 14-7 as the dam finally burst on Edinburgh's scrum.

Conor Oliver and Dave O'Callaghan added further tries before John Hardie's reply for the visitors.

Hardie's 67th-minute try led to a few late Munster nerves as Edinburgh - who had always looked fluent in open play - produced a brave rally before the home side held on.

Flanker Magnus Bradbury was one of several impressive performers for Edinburgh but the visitors badly missed the rested Scotland international prop WP Nel.

Munster were earning a third victory in their opening four games while Edinburgh have lost three of their four early fixtures.

Chris Dean's try gave Edinburgh an early lead at Thomond Park

Edinburgh's front-row woes led to several uncontested scrums in the second half after replacement prop Allan Dell - who had come on for the injured Kevin Bryce early on - was himself yellow-carded for one transgression too many.

The warning signs for Edinburgh were apparent early on as tight-head Bryce - who made the conversion from hooker this summer - was under immediate pressure from Dave Kilcoyne, with John Ryan also continuing his impressive form on the other side of the Munster front row.

Despite Bryce's enforced departure and a yellow card for Fraser McKenzie for a shoulder charge which led to Munster's Jack O'Donoghue being stretchered off, Edinburgh took the lead after 23 minutes as Dean sprinted from halfway after CJ Stander had lost possession in the ruck.

However, Munster were quickly on terms as Murray dotted down after Edinburgh's scrum was again in fast retreat.

The home scrum-half touched down again before the break after Sam Hidalgo-Clyne lost possession when understandably attempting to avoid conceding a five-metre scrum.

Replacement Oliver scored Munster's third try within two minutes of the restart after brushing aside Duncan Weir's weak tackle and O'Callaghan secured the bonus point 15 minutes later during Dell's sin-binning.

Fly-half Tyler Bleyendaal, after a couple of early penalty misses, slotted all four Munster conversions and also set up O'Callaghan's try with a perfectly weighted pass.

With the uncontested scrums reducing Munster's superiority, Edinburgh rallied and replacement Hardie's score set up a nervous finish for the home side as the visitors threatened to fight their way back into the game.

But Munster regrouped to see the game out.

TEAMS

Munster: Ian Keatley; Darren Sweetnam, Keith Earls, Cian Bohane, Ronan O'Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland (capt); Dave O'Callaghan, Jack O'Donoghue, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Duncan Casey (for Scannell, 58), James Cronin (for Kilcoyne, 56), Darren O'Shea (for Kleyn, 44), Conor Oliver (for O'Donoghue, 12), Duncan Williams (for Murray, Dan Goggin, Alex Wootton (for Bleyendaal, 58).

Not Used: Stephen Archer, Dan Goggin.

Edinburgh: Glenn Bryce; Damien Hoyland, Michael Allen, Chris Dean, Tom Brown; Duncan Weir, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Rory Sutherland, Stuart McInally (capt), Kevin Bryce; Fraser McKenzie, Ben Toolis; Magnus Bradbury, Hamish Watson, Cornell Du Preez.

Replacements: Neil Cochrane (for McInally, 59), Jack Cosgrove (for Du Preez, 51-59), Allan Dell (for Bryce, 6), Lewis Carmichael (for McKenzie, 67), John Hardie (for Watson, 24-33, for Du Preez, 59) , Sean Kennedy (for Hidalgo-Clyne, 63), Blair Kinghorn (for Weir, 61), Rory Scholes (for Allen, 71).

Sin-Bin: McKenzie (13), Dell (50).

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Assistant Referees: Gwyn Morris (WRU), Mark Patton (IRFU)

Citing Commissioner: Eddie Wigglesworth (IRFU)

TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)