Pro14: Connacht 20-16 Munster

Referee Nigel Owens red carded Munster's Andrew Conway in the 62nd minute

Connacht ended a run of four straight Pro14 defeats as they edged out 14-man Munster in a tense game in Galway.

Simon Zebo, omitted by Ireland after revealing his impending Munster exit, notched an early try for the visitors.

However, a sensational no-look pass from Ireland call-up Bundee Aki helped set up Tiernan O'Halloran's reply.

Munster still led 13-10 at half-time but Andrew Conway was sent off for an elbow on 62 and Tom Farrell ran in the match-winning try five minutes later.

After reviewing video footage, referee Nigel Owen adjudged that wing Conway had caught Jack Carty after the Connacht fly-half attempted a chip and charge.

Centre Farrell then found a gap in the Munster to run in a try from 50 metres after quick line-out ball from Kieron Marmion and the home side held on despite late pressure from the visitors.

Simon Zebo (right) announced earlier this week that he will leave Munster at the end of this season

Connacht show grit after trailing 10-0

Connacht's poor start to the campaign looked set to continue as Zebo's early try helped the visitors take a 10-0 lead.

The French-bound back brushed past his Ireland colleague O'Halloran to score after Rory Scannell had burst through some weak tackling following a fumble on the edge of his own 22 by Marmion.

After Ian Keatley slotted the conversion, another Zebo dart on 17 minutes forced the concession of a penalty which the Munster fly-half again landed.

Connacht needed to summon up a response and Aki's sensational pass to Farrell split the Munster defence as the ball was delivered to the over-lapping O'Halloran.

A penalty apiece from Keatley and Carty left Munster three up at the interval although Connacht were quickly on terms after the break courtesy of another successful kick from their fly-half.

With the game very much in the balance, Conway's dismissal was a big moment.

It looked a debatable call and Connacht captain John Muldoon told Irish TV channel TG4 afterwards that a yellow card might have been the appropriate sanction.

Munster regained the lead three minutes after Conway's dismissal from a JJ Hanrahan penalty but then came Farrell's decisive score as the hosts made their numerical advantage count.

Connacht: O'Halloran; Leader, Aki, Farrell, Kelleher; Carty, Marmion; Buckley, McCartney, Bealham; Dillane, Cannon; McKeon, Butler, Muldoon (capt). Replacements: Heffernan, Coulson, Carey, Roux, Masterson, Blade, Ronaldson, Adeolokun.

Munster: Zebo; Conway, Farrell, Scannell, Earls; Keatley, Murray; Kilcoyne, Marshall, Ryan; Flanagan, Holland; O'Mahony (capt), O'Donnell, Stander. Replacements: O'Byrne, O'Connor, Archer, McCarthy, O'Donoghue, Williams, Hanrahan, Sweetnam