Connacht ground out a two-point victory in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday (1st January) to strengthen their top eight position.
Bundee Aki's 58th minute try proved to be the crucial score as Andy Friend's team joined Munster on 20 points, and just two behind fourth placed Ospreys.
Jack Carty kicked a 14th minute penalty but left through injury before half-time. Ben Healy equalised for the visitors and Andrew Conway's try on 22 minutes had Munster 8-3 up at half-time.
Connacht had Oisin Dowling sinbinned in the first half but a interval bust-up also led to Connacht's Shane Delahunt and Munster's Healy also taking 10 minutes off.
A high challenge from Munster's Chris Farrell earned him a break as well on 57 minutes and Aki struck for Connacht's try within 60 seconds. Conor Fitzgerald added the two points, enough to gain a measure of revenge for last October's defeat in Thomond Park.
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Galway Bay FM's 1st Half Commentary with Rob Murphy and William Davies.
Galway Bay FM's 2nd Half Commentary with Rob Murphy and William Davies
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Scorers - Connacht: Bundee Aki 5pts (1 try), Jack Carty 3pts (1 pen), Conor Fitzgerald 2pts (1 con)
Scorers - Munster: Andrew Conway 5pts (1 try), Ben Healy 3pts (1 pen).
Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran; John Porch, Sammy Arnold, Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty (capt), Kieran Marmion; Matthew Burke, Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham; Ultan Dillane, Oisín Dowling; Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler.
Replacements: Jonny Murphy, Tietie Tuimauga, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Eoghan Masterson, Abraham Papali'i, Matthew Devine, Conor Fitzgerald, Tom Farrell.
Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly; Ben Healy, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O'Donoghue (capt), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Keynan Knox, Thomas Ahern, Jack Daly, Neil Cronin, Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell.
Referee: Chris Busby
