Celtic League/Ospreys 20 Munster 12:Declan Kidney will be grateful Munster do not have to return to Wales until next autumn following this latest defeat that effectively ended their season.
Since lifting the Heineken European Cup at the Millennium Stadium last May, Munster have lost their last five games on the other side of the Irish Sea, including the two in eight days that cost them their European and domestic hopes.
Having crashed out of Europe to Llanelli, Munster are now drifting in mid-table obscurity in the Magners League after losing this game at the Liberty Stadium they never looked like winning.
"You always get a real challenge in Wales and that's how you find out about yourself and there are clearly aspects of our game that we really need to look at," said Kidney.
"We will carry on to the final whistle of the season and tackle each game as it comes. There are a few young players in the front row, back row, at halfback and out wide who are earning their spurs in the Magners League and coming to places like this will stand them, and us, in good stead."
Among those new faces is Brian Carney, who gave another glimpse of his promise with a second try-scoring appearance, though it was too late to save Munster.
The Rugby League convert showed composure to collect Ronan O'Gara's crossfield kick before outpacing Justin Marshall to score Munster's second try and at least salvage some pride on the scoreboard in the final minute of this game.
"Carney showed again some good signs and took his try well. That's what wingers do but it's still early days and I don't want to put him under any more pressure. But we're pleased with his first two appearances," added Kidney.
Along with the return of Anthony Foley and Anthony Horgan from long-term injury, it was the only positive aspect of a thoroughly disappointing game for Munster.
Donnacha Ryan also scored early on but - between their 14th-minute and 80th-minute tries - Munster offered nowhere near enough in attack to win this game, while the rising Wales star James Hook continued to take the game by storm with 15 points before Marshall sealed the victory 14 minutes from the end.
"We're obviously disappointed with the result, we always come to win but we allowed the Ospreys to get an early score and then conceded penalties that meant we were always chasing the game. In the end it was too much," said Kidney.
"We need to take a hard look at our game, especially in attack. Individual effort and application were there but we need to work on our teamwork.
"We responded well to the first try to get back to 7-5 but we didn't put them under any sustained pressure."
Shane Williams did the damage for the first try for Hook on 11 minutes, but Ryan galloped over moments later after Tomás O'Leary's opportunism.
Donncha O'Callaghan's yellow card before half-time allowed Hook to open a 13-5 lead and though Munster threw on O'Gara in a bid to save the game, it was the Ospreys replacement Marshall who sealed it, catching Munster with a sucker punch direct from a lineout before Carney's consolation score.
OSPREYS: S Terblanche; J Vaughton (N Walker, 65), S Parker, A Bishop, S Williams; J Hook, J Spice (J Marshall, 60); P James (capt), H Bennett (B Williams, 60), C Griffiths (A Jones, 58); B Cockbain, AW Jones; A Lloyd (J Thomas, 3), R Jones, S Tandy (R Pugh, 3). Tries - Hook, Marshall. Cons - Hook (2). Pens - Hook (2).
MUNSTER: M Lawlor; B Carney, B Murphy, L Mafi, A Horgan (K Earls, 65); J Manning (R O'Gara, 54), T O'Leary; F Pucciariello (M Horan, 54), F Sheahan (J Flannery, 65), T Buckley; D O'Callaghan, D Ryan; A Quinlan, A Foley (capt), J O'Sullivan. Tries - Ryan, Carney. Con - O'Gara. Attendance: 9,295
Referee: David Changleng (SRU)
