Munster come back to beat Ulster and seal URC top spot

United Rugby Championship

Munster: (7) 29

Tries: Snyman, Nash, Daly, Clarke Pens: Crowley Cons: Crowley 3

Ulster: (17) 24

Tries: Herring, McCann, Rea Pens: Cooney Cons: Cooney 3

Reigning champions Munster vanished apical of nan United Rugby Championship aft overturning a half-time shortage to hit Ulster astatine Thomond Park.

The hosts needed triumph to beryllium judge of first spot - and unafraid location advantage done nan play-offs - but were 10 points down astatine nan move aft Ulster tries from Rob Herring and Dave McCann.

Graham Rowntree's chair proved telling arsenic Munster turned things astir successful nan 2nd half, pinch Shane Daly's important 69th infinitesimal effort helping to widen their winning convention tally to 9 games and seal a location quarter-final pinch Ospreys adjacent week.

Ulster, who were already assured of an distant necktie successful nan past eight, saw their losing prize constituent guarantee Champions Cup rugby for adjacent season.

Richie Murphy's broadside will look different Irish derby successful nan quarter-finals, gathering Leinster successful Dublin adjacent weekend.

Ulster struggled to get connected nan correct of broadside of referee Frank Murphy successful nan early exchanges, giving distant a bid of penalties successful nan opening minutes.

It was aft 1 specified transgression that Munster went to nan area and threatened to declare nan opening effort done their maul.

While Ulster forced them to move nan shot retired from nan set-piece, yet it was RG Snyman stretching for nan statement to springiness his broadside nan lead.

It was nary little than Munster deserved for their superior start, Ulster struggling retired of nan blocks having mislaid Stuart McCloskey and Ethan McIlroy earlier kick-off, and past Kieran Treadwell aft conscionable 5 minutes.

The visitors would turn into nan contest, however, pinch Ireland world hooker Herring scoring aft breaking disconnected nan backmost of a maul.

They would return nan lead done a John Cooney punishment and mostly power nan possession and territory for nan remainder of nan half.

Munster lacked momentum successful their carries, though they did show flashes erstwhile getting nan shot into abstraction during surgery play, but it was Ulster who deservedly added to their advantage earlier nan turn.

After a Jack Crowley correction talented Ulster a scrum 5 metres from nan Munster line, Ulster showed bully patience successful nan tight exchanges earlier McCann burrowed complete pinch nan past play of nan half.

With location advantage done nan play-offs astatine stake, Munster started nan 2nd half pinch greater intent but a McCann intercept led to Crowley shipping a penalty. Cooney's effort disconnected nan tee, however, came backmost disconnected nan near post.

Into nan past half hour, location were 3 tries successful 10 minutes.

With Munster's guardant replacements making an impact, nan location broadside started moving nan shot amended and, erstwhile Crowley's offload to Gavin Coombes opened up Ulster, Craig Casey's walk recovered Calvin Nash for nan try.

Ulster, however, summoned nan cleanable consequence pinch Matty Rea crashing complete conscionable 4 minutes later aft a immense break done nan mediate by Cormac Izuchukwu.

After Ulster fumbled nan restart, this clip it was Munster pinch nan almost contiguous consequence arsenic Daly crossed successful nan corner.

Munster would return nan lead successful nan 69th infinitesimal done their maul, replacement hooker Eoghan Clarke nan 1 to dot down aft his broadside had turned down nan kickable punishment to prosecute nan win.

With an advantage for nan first clip since nan eighth minute, Munster ended nan crippled connected nan beforehand ft pinch Crowley's precocious punishment making nan triumph safe but not denying Ulster their crucial, and deserved, losing prize point.

Munster: Zebo; Nash, O'Brien, R Scannell, Daly; Crowley, Casey; Loughman, N Scannell, Archer; Snyman, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Kendellen, O'Donoghue.

Replacements: Clarke, Ryan, Jager, Ahern, Coombes, Murray, Carbery, Hodnett.

Ulster: Moore; Lowry, Addison, Postlethwaite, Stockdale; Burns, Cooney; O'Sullivan, Herring, O'Toole; Treadwell, O'Connor (capt); Izuchukwu, McCann, Timoney.

Replacements: Stewart, Warwick, Wilson, Sheridan, Rea, Doak, Ewers, Sexton.