VIDEO referees must be introduced in the Celtic League in time for next season, if not sooner, after the way the Dragons were denied the victory their efforts deserved at Musgrave Park, Cork, on Saturday night.

If this match had been played in the Heineken Cup, the Powergen Cup or the Guinness Premiership the Dragons would have won the game, and probably with something to spare. For all those competitions provide video referees to rule on crucial goal-line decisions where the referee is unsure if a try has been scored, whereas the fourth official has all the benefit of TV replays.

So if it's good enough for three other major Northern Hemisphere competitions, why not the Celtic League?

If aspirations to be a proper full- blown, truly professional competition are to be realised, then all the necessary technology has to be provided, particularly when it is available elsewhere.

The Dragons were left rueing its absence because THREE times they had players over the line - Rhys Thomas, skipper Jason Forster and Bryn Griffiths were all crossing, only for Scottish referee Malcolm Changleng to rule out their efforts because he claimed he was unsighted.

Television evidence supported the view that two of those efforts should have been rewarded with tries, and even Wales coach Mike Ruddock sent a text message of support after the game.

The Dragons could have emerged with a victory, though they should have taken the spoils regardless of the refereeing blunders.

For they enjoyed probably 60% of the territory through the sterling efforts of their pack, but they just couldn't finish it off.

The final pass would go astray or players tried to walk the ball over the line or there would be a turnover, all of which, coupled with a ferocious Munster defence, kept the home line intact apart from one occasion.

That came in the ninth minute, when prop Adam Black barged over for his first try of the season after Peter Sidoli won a lineout and Ben Breeze went close. Recycled possession gave Black the opportunity to plunge over.

The Dragons should have taken advantage of numerous other opportunities, but they lacked a cutting edge as Munster clung on to win the battle of two severely depleted teams.

Well before the end you sensed that one way or another it just wasn't going to be the Dragons' night as chance after chance went begging as they just couldn't finish off what they had started.

Not that it was one-way traffic either, and it required a wonderful cover tackle almost on their own line by Jamie Ringer to bring down rampaging Munster lock Mick O'Driscoll after he had broken away.

On another occasion winger Richard Fussell ankle- tapped Munster captain Anthony Foley as he also looked menacing with the line beckoning.

The Dragons just couldn't take advantage of all the possession they won, with Sidoli, Rhys Oakley, Bryn Griffiths and Ringer all winning their share of lineout ball to set up numerous attacks.

But there was little menace outside, and the Dragons continue to miss Kevin Morgan, Hal Luscombe, Nathan Brew and Gareth Wyatt despite the valiant efforts of players like Fussell and Aled Thomas.

On top of that Sione Tuipulotu had a nightmare game in the centre as he continues to struggle after his success of last season.

It all meant the Dragons had to be content with one losing bonus point, when had they got the victory they deserved they would have jumped four places in the table, leapfrogging two of their Welsh rivals in the process.

They went behind as early as the third minute when their scrum was partially wheeled, and when the ball emerged crookedly makeshift outside-half Mossie Lawlor made ground, handed on to former rugby league ace Gary Connolly and Foley was up in support to nail the try, which Lawlor converted.

The Dragons hit back quickly with Black's try before Lawlor kicked a penalty when Forster was penalised for a tackle that appeared anything but high.

It made the half-time score 10-5 to Munster, and the only score in a second-half battle of attrition was a Craig Warlow penalty 16 minutes from the end.

As leading Munster light Noel Murphy, the former Ireland great, said to the Dragons: "You lacked a decision-maker."

Quite so, for this was definitely the one that got away.

Munster: S Payne, I Dowling, B Murphy, G Connolly, A Horgan, M Lawlor, T O'Leary, F Roche (T Buckley 65), D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, T Hogan, M O'Driscoll, S Keogh, A Foley (captain), J O'Connor (A Kavanagh 75).

Scorers: try - A Foley; con - M Lawlor; penalty - M Lawlor. Newport Gwent Dragons: A Thomas, R Fussell, S Tuipulotu (J Bryant 75), C Sweeney, B Breeze, C Warlow, G Cooper, A Black (D Maddocks 71), S Jones, R Thomas, B Griffiths (A Hall 61), P Sidoli, J Ringer, R Oakley (S van Rensberg 61), J Forster (captain). Scorers: try - A Black; penalty - C Warlow.