Munster edge by Ulster in Thomond Park thriller

Munster 32 Ulster 28

CJ Stander inspired Munster to claim their fifth win of the season thanks to a five-try display at a wind-swept Thomond Park.

In all nine tries were scored as both sides claimed try bonus points, but crucially Munster fended off a late Ulster surge after Dan Tuohy’s late try to take their fifth win of the season and return to second place in the Pro12 standings.

Craig Gilroy was a real danger throughout and ran in two tries before the interval, but despite Nick Williams also clearing the whitewash before the break, Munster held a 19-18 lead at half-time.

Tries from Andrew Conway, Robin Copeland and Gerhard van den Heever ensured Munster head the one-point lead at the interval, and they only trailed for four second-half minutes after a drop goal from Paddy Jackson.

Denis Hurley and the returning Simon Zebo earned the bonus point win for Munster with two tries in a four-minute spell around the hour mark as Munster were good value for their five-point haul.

There was plenty of bright patches in both side’s first-half performance, but it was the visitors that took lead at Thomond Park when Gilroy ran in his first try. Francis Saili lost the ball in contact deep in Ulster territory and Darren Cave sent Gilroy free on the right and his searing pace easily saw him cross in the right corner.

The Munster management would have been concerned with the holes that frequently appeared in their defensive line, especially in the first quarter where they were slow to reorganise, but their sharp finishing at the other end meant they led 19-18 at the interval.

In his first start since his return to Munster, Tomás O’Leary looked sharp and stood up well in defence. And it was the scrum-half that identified a gap in the Ulster line and sent Conway in for his side’s first try, which Ian Keatley converted after 17 minutes.

A strong carry from Cave forced Munster into the concession of a penalty four minutes later as Paddy Jackson easily kicked his side into an 8-7 lead. It was probably the easiest of the kicks on a night where flags beside each other blew in different directions and the posts danced in front of the kickers.

Ulster were making the most of each foray to the Munster half and despite a blatant forward pass earlier in the move, Gilroy was awarded his second try in the 27th minute as Munster ran out of defenders.

But again, Munster’s response was impressive. On the half-hour mark Simon Zebo bamboozled Lewis Stevenson with his handling en route to Copeland’s try, which Keatley converted for a 14-13 lead.

Four minutes later Munster bagged their third try when Van den Heever finished brilliantly in the right corner after O’Leary sent him through a small gap, but right before half-time Ulster struck back when Nick Williams got on the back of a rolling maul to touch down.

Following the well struck drop goal from Jackson, which made it 21-19, Munster immediately upped their efforts and when Keatley landed a penalty after 50 minutes Munster led again.

And just on the hour mark - with a penalty advantage to fall back on - Hurley scored from lofty crosskick from Keatley to seal the bonus point, while Zebo got in on the act 15 minutes from time with a good finish in the corner.

Tuohy’s try with ten minutes remaining meant a worrying conclusion to the game for the home side, but they held on in the end - despite prematurely kicking the ball out to end the game.

Scorers - Munster: Tries, A Conway, R Copeland, G van den Heever, D Hurley, S Zebo; Cons, I Keatley (2); Pen, I Keatley

Ulster: Tries, C Gilroy (2), N Williams, D Tuohy; Pens, P Jackson; Con, P Jackson Drops, P Jackson.

Munster: A Conway; G van den Heever, F Saili, D Hurley, S Zebo; I Keatley, T O'Leary; J Cronin, M Sherry, BJ Botha; D Foley, M Chisholm; CJ Stander, J O'Donoghue, R Copeland.

Replacements: J Ryan for Cronin (39-half-time temp & 67), D Ryan for Foley (51), D Casey for Sherry (56), R Scannell for Hurley (70), J Coghlan for Sherry (70)

Ulster: P Nelson; C Gilroy, D Cave, S McCloskey, A Trimble; P Jackson, P Marshall; A Warwick, R Herring, W Herbst; L Stevenson, F van der Merwe; R Wilson, S Reidy, N Williams.

Replacements: S Arnold for Cave (21-27 temp), S Arnold for Trimble (half-time), C Black for Warwick (51), C Henry for Reify (53), D Tuohy for van der Mewe (63), R Lutton for Herbst (67).

Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR).