Munster’s late surge against Ulster sets up home Ospreys quarter-final

Munster will have home comforts for as long as their run in the URC play-offs lasts, but they’ll know that another performance like this might derail their bid to retain their title.

Their reward is a home quarter-final against the Ospreys next Friday night (7.35) and for that they can thank a second-half surge led by a stacked bench and an impressive cameo by departing out-half Joey Carbery who offered calm when most in the 17,486 crowd were beginning to despair.

When Graham Rowntree sent Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Oli Jager and Thomas Ahern on all at once in the 50th minute, Munster were 17-7 down. They won the last half an hour 22-8.

They’d come into the game with their destiny in their own hands, but they failed to fire and found Ulster were in the mood themselves despite losing backs Stuart McCloskey and Ethan McIlory before the game and both starting locks by 20 minutes.

They’d reason to feel hard done by after RG Snyman somehow escaped a card for a high shot on Will Addison in the opening exchanges.

To make matters worse, the Springbok powered over for their opening try within minutes of his reprieve, but his side followed up their strong start with a series of self inflicted wounds.

Ireland out-half Jack Crowley’s error-strewn performance summed it all up.

He played John Cooney at a ruck. That allowed Billy Burns kick his side within range where their maul set up Rob Herring to score as Cooney levelled with the conversion.

The scrum-half added a penalty after Seán O’Brien was forced offside and Munster’s handling grew increasingly loose with Nick Timoney leading the way as the visitors happily mucked up the ruck.

They played with ambition too and got their reward when Crowley looked to end the half by kicking a goal-line restart into touch on the full, instead handing Ulster a 5m scrum when they should have been in the changing-room.

From the set-piece, Munster coughed up a penalty which Herring tapped and Dave McCann out-muscled Alex Kendellen to score.

So, Ulster took a 10 point cushion in at the break thanks to Cooney’s conversion and he hit the post with a chance to make it 20-7 after half-time when McCann picked off Snyman and Crowley coughed up another penalty.

Rowntree had seen enough and sent on four of his bench forwards in search of a spark and, boy, did they deliver. Oli Jager helped win a scrum penalty, so Munster attacked with Thomas Ahern scampering up the left. Crowley surged through a midfield gap and found Gavin Coombes and, when Munster recycled quickly, Casey flung the ball wide to Nash who scored.

Crowley narrowed the gap to three points from the touchline, but just as Thomond Park was getting going it was condemned to silence again as the excellent Cormac Izuchukwu powered past John Hodnett and Matty Rea followed up with a superb carry to score.

It was a different game now and no sooner had Cooney converted than Munster were hitting back thanks to another brilliant series of continuity, Daly popping up this time totake another Casey pass to score on the edge.

Again, Crowley converted and, after escaping a Harry Sheridan charge-down on Casey, Munster’s scrum went to work and earned a penalty for Carbery to kick into the ’22 but Coombes spilled Ahern’s pass off the top.

Carbery, who’d come on before half time for the injured Rory Scannell, was growing in influence and his clever chip in behind was followed up by Daly who drilled Cooney into touch.

From the lineout, Timoney was penalised for a deliberate knock-on and Tadhg Beirne told Crowley to go to the corner and his pack delivered with a well-set maul that gave the platform for Eoghan Clarke to touch down for his side’s fourth try.

Crowley’s conversion hit the post to keep Ulster within two points with eight minutes remaining.

They needed calm, but Tom Stewart’s crooked lineout was followed by another Munster scrum penalty which gave Munster position to force another Ulster error and Crowley made it 29-24.

There was still time for drama as Nash was penalised for a deliberate knock-on, but the red wall held firm and Munster got the result they needed.

Scorers — Munster: RG Snyman, C Nash, S Daly, E Clarke try each; J Crowley 3 cons, pen. Ulster: R Herring, D McCann, M Rea try each; J Cooney 3 cons, pen.

Munster: S Zebo; C Nash, S O’Brien, R Scannell (J Carbery 36), S Daly; J Crowley, C Casey (C Murray 70); J Loughman (J Ryan 60), N Scannell (E Clarke 60), S Archer (O Jager 50); RG Snyman (T Ahern 50), T Beirne (capt); P O’Mahony (G Coombes 50), A Kendellen (J Hodnett 50), J O’Donoghue.

Ulster: E McIlroy; M Lowry, W Addison (A Sexton 60), J Postlethwaite, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan (A Warwick 54), R Herring (T Stewart 60), T O’Toole (H Wilson 67); K Treadwell (H Sheridan 5), A O’Connor (capt) (M Rea 19) (D Ewers 65); C Izuchukwu, D McCann, N Timoney.

Referee: F Murphy (IRFU)