Munster suffered their third straight league defeat to the Blues in the space of 13 months as they failed to hit top gear or approach anything near in a disappointing display.

Boosted by their biggest crowd of the campaign and the return of Ireland's Frankie Sheahan and Alan Quinlan to their matchday 22, Munster seemed ideally poised to knock Cardiff off their perch.

But a poor first quarter from the hosts allowed the Blues to seize the initiative and they never looked back, despite the closeness of the result in the end.

David Young's visitors, who were shocked at home by Leinster last week, showed the benefit of having played an extra two games this season as their intensity and poise in possession helped them hit the front.

Cardiff took a seventh-minute lead when out-half Nick Robinson fired over a penalty, and he edged his place-kicking duel with Munster's Paul Warwick, who missed three kickable penalties in the opening half.

It was try time for Blues winger Tom James just two minutes later. Robinson pumped a garryowen into the night sky, scattering the Munster defence. The ball broke kindly for the Welshmen off Shaun Payne, Robinson put his boot to it and James sped clear of the retreating Ian Dowling to pick up and dive over for a five-pointer.

Munster's woes, not helped by poor recycling at the breakdown, continued when Robinson nudged a 27th-minute penalty through the uprights after two missed kicks by the usually reliable Warwick.

The hosts got the jolt they needed though, and ended the first half on the up as they scored 10 points in little over three minutes.

Warwick got his radar right to land his first penalty and a well-executed lineout maul helped lock Mark Melbourne muscle over on the stroke of half-time for his first try in Munster red. Warwick's successful conversion from the touchline gave home fans the hope that their side would turn things around in the second half.

Suddenly only 11-10 in arrears, Munster were right back in the hunt for the four points. But Cardiff continued to set the pace on the resumption and set up a second try for James four minutes in, after a speed-laden attack.

As Munster scrapped for possession, a lack of discipline cost them on 52 minutes as Robinson was allowed to boot the Blues into a 19-10 lead.

Flanker Niall Ronan got over for a 69th-minute try - his first for the province - to get Munster back in contention, with Warwick again adding the extras, but with their back-line failing to fire and the pack, although bolstered by the introductions of Sheahan and Quinlan for the final half-hour, struggling to secure clean ball, time simply ran out on Munster who were losing a league game for the first time in seven outings.