Four penalties and a drop by fly-half Jeremy Manning put them 15-0 up before the Ospreys' Shaun Connor scurried over for a try which he converted.

Munster regained their 15-point lead by half-time with number eight James Coughlan forcing his way over.

Ospreys winger Jonny Vaughton darted over for a try and although they closed the gap Munster held on for the win.

Munster raced into that early lead thanks to the kicking of 21-year-old New Zealand-born Manning.

The Ospreys hit back with former All Blacks scrum-half Justin Marshall taking a quick tap and offloading to Jason Spice who sent Connor in for a well-worked try.

Munster responded with their only touchdown, Coughlan ploughing over on the end of a five-metre scrum for his first provincial try.

The Ospreys got back within range just five minutes into the second half.

A sweet inside pass from Tal Selley sent winger Vaughton through for his first try of the league campaign.

Yellow cards for Spice and Federico Pucciariello - the Munster prop was left bloodied after a clash with Brent Cockbain - disrupted the pattern of the game, but Manning cooled matters with his fifth penalty.

The final quarter saw Connor kick two more penalties but they were not enough to prevent a nervy Munster holding on for victory.

Munster: Payne, Horgan, Mafi, Halstead, Dowling, Manning, O'Leary, D. Hurley, Kyriacou, Pucciariello, O'Driscoll, Wyatt, Quinlan, McGann, Coughlan.
Replacements: Roche, Buckley, D. Ryan, O'Sullivan, O'Meara, Hickey, Murphy.

Ospreys: Terblanche, Vaughton, Selley, Spice, Walker, Connor, Marshall, James, B. Williams, Millward, Powell, Bateman, Lloyd, Tandy, Tiatia.
Replacements: Bennett, Griffiths, Cockbain, Beech, Pugh, Spratt, Byrne.

Munster (22) 25
Try: Coughlan.
Con: Manning
Pens: Manning (5)
Drop goal: Manning

Ospreys (7) 20
Tries: Connor, Vaughton
Cons: Connor (2)
Pens: Connor (2)