Ulster come out on top of URC thriller with Munster Rugby

MUNSTER RUGBY have lost their unbeaten United Rugby Championship (URC) record following a 21-14 loss to Ulster at Kingspan Stadium.

Graham Rowntree's side were 14-3 to the good after 17 minutes of the game on Friday night but failed to score again as Ulster grew into the contest as a result of Munster errors.

Two Craig Casey tries, both converted by Jack Crowley, had Munster in firm control early doors but a Jacob Stockdale effort brought Ulster back into the game before the break.

Ulster were by far the better side in the second half with two Nathan Doak penalties and a conversion from Nick Timoney's try seeing them home to the win.

Munster made an excellent start with Casey going over for his first try after just eight minutes. Munster got down into the Ulster '22 after Crowley's kick over the top was spilled by Stockdale.

A powerful Munster scrum earned several penalties in the aftermath, with Casey dotting down with another penalty advantage after taking an offload from Gavin Coombes. Crowley nailed the straightforward conversion to make the score 7-0.

Ulster responded well on the restart and Ethan McElroy nearly finished off a flowing move inside Munster territory but he was denied by a double tackle.

However, it was adjudged to have been an illegal tackle by Shane Daly and he was shown a yellow card. McElroy left the field as a result. Nathan Doak slotted the penalty to reduce Munster's advantage to four.

Munster were soon back in Ulster's half once again after the outstanding Alex Nankivell won the first of several penalties at the breakdown. 

Crowley kicked to the corner once more and Munster went close to the line several times. With another penalty on the horizon, Crowley came close to scoring again but it was Casey that got in for a second try. Crowley added the extras to stretch Munster's lead to 14-3.

Daly then returned to the pitch but Ulster improved as the half continued and got in behind the Munster defence coming up to the half hour with a superb Billy Burns crossfield kick releasing Stockdale in space and he easily touched down to cut the lead to six points at the break.

Doak opened the scoring in the second half with a second penalty following Fineen Wycherley failing to roll correctly away from a ruck.

Munster were under pressure for large parts of the half and Doak levelled the game and then the crucial blow came 12 minutes from time when a powerful Ulster scrum saw Timoney power over the line. Doak converted to put his side seven to the good.

Rowntree's men pushed hard at the end of a levelling score late on but Ulster's defence held firm and it was they that held on for the victory.

ULSTER: Ethan McElroy; Rob Baloucoune, Stewart Moore, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, Nathan Doak; Eric O'Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Greg McGrath; Cormac Izuchukwu, Kieran Treadwell; David McCann, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.

REPLACEMENTS: Jude Postlethwaite for McElroy (14 mins, inj), Rob Herring for Stewart (50 mins), Scott Wilson for McGrath (50 mins), Iain Henderson for Izuchukwu (50 mins), Dave Ewers for Rea (60 mins), John Cooney for Doak (70 mins), Jake Flannery for Burns (72 mins).

MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Sean O'Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Alex Kendellen, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

REPLACEMENTS: Josh Wycherley for Loughman (50 mins), Stephen Archer for Ryan (50 mins), Tom Ahern for Edogbo (50 mins), Brian Gleeson for Kendellen (50 mins), Scott Buckley for Barron (52 mins), Rory Scannell for Nankivell (60 mins), Ben O'Connor for O'Brien (67 mins), Paddy Patterson for Casey (72 mins).

REFEREE: Frank Murphy (IRFU).