Ben Healy scored a try from the final play as a much-changed Munster began 2023 with a stunning victory over Ulster in Belfast.
The out-half came off the bench for his first appearance since the win over South Africa in November and he crashed over as the clock turned red before converting his own score to seal a brilliant comeback win.
Robert Baloucoune looked to have put Ulster on course for a third successive victory over Munster when he sprinted over with 13 minutes remaining to make it 14-5, but the visitors produced a brilliant late riposte to condemn Dan McFarland's side to a fourth loss in five games.
Munster were without four Ireland internationals including Tadhg Beirne and Peter O'Mahony, while Ulster welcomed back four, and the home side were 9-0 to the good after 24 minutes and seemingly on course for a routine win.
However, they had Tom Stewart sin-binned during a penalty-laden purple patch and although some resolute defending kept Munster at bay before the half-time whistle sounded, Paddy Patterson crossed within four minutes of the restart.
Healy’s introduction as a second playmaker alongside Jack Crowley gave Munster an extra dimension in attack, with the likes of Antoine Frisch and Mike Haley helping them cut Ulster open out wide.
All that attacking intent looked to count for nothing as Baloucoune gave Ulster some breathing room, but Munster hit back with 10 unanswered points in the final seven minutes, all of them coming from Healy, to significantly boost their play-off hopes.
Gavin Coombes and Crowley were among the standout performers for Graham Rowntree’s men, the latter putting some poor first-half kicks behind him to brilliantly pull the strings.
Given the changes to both starting teams, it was no surprise that Ulster started the brighter. Two early lineout steals put them on the front foot but they found the going tough against a resolute Munster defence.
Niall Scannell and Roman Salanoa stepped up with a number of important tackles while Keith Earls made a vital turnover on Baloucoune after the Ulster wing had latched onto Stuart McCloskey's clever grubber.
The majority of a low-tempo first quarter was played in Munster’s half and the pressure eventually told. With Jacob Stockdale looking threatening, the visitors coughed up three soft penalties in a nine-minute spell that were all converted by John Cooney.
Just as Ulster looked set to kick on, they lost Marty Moore [pictured above] so a serious leg injury, and Munster used the break wisely. When play resumed they minced the Ulster scrum, leading to the first of four successive penalties that ended up with Stewart being sin-binned and Munster setting up camp in the home 22.
Over five minutes of pressure followed but Munster ultimately came away with nothing. You could have thrown a blanket over their attack as they repeated tried to their way over the tryline, but Ulster stood firm and a neck roll by Crowley on Ireland team-mate McCloskey allowed them to clear and ensure it remained 9-0 at the break.
But just when it looked as though Ulster had delivered a big psychological blow, Munster began the second half like they finished the first and this time they got their just rewards.
Playing advantage after a break by Coombes, a Malakai Fekitoa carry close to the line was followed by a brilliant clean-out on Stockdale by Shane Daly, which allowed scrum-half Patterson to cross in the corner. Crowley’s conversion came back off the post.
Ulster tried to respond but saw a lineout stolen on a rare visit to the Munster 22. Instead it was the visitors who continued to look the more dangerous. The introduction of Healy made a big difference to their attack and they went close on a number of occasions, with a big turnover by Baloucoune on Earls saving Ulster’s bacon on the hour mark.
Seven minutes later Baloucoune was scoring at the other end. He took McCloskey’s inviting long pass and sprinted past two defenders to touch down on his first Ulster appearance since October.
Cooney failed to convert but at 14-5, Ulster appeared to have done enough.
Healy kicked a penalty on 73 minutes to put Munster in losing bonus point territory but even better was to come. A scything late break by Crowley sparked a late spell of Munster pressure that resulted in Healy diving over near the posts and then adding the extras seal a brilliant victory.
Ulster: Stewart Moore; Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Rory Sutherland, Tom Stewart, Marty Moore; Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson (capt); Greg Jones, Sean Reffell, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Gareth Milasinovich for Moore (29), Nathan Doak for Cooney (62), Sam Carter for Treadwell (62), Eric O'Sullivan for Sutherland (65), Jordi Murphy for Jones (65), Jake Flannery for Burns (73), John Andrew for Stewart (76), Ethan McIlroy for Stockdale (77).
Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Keith Earls; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, Kiran McDonald; Jack O'Donoghue (capt), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Ben Healy for Fekitoa (52), Conor Murray for Patterson (56), Patrick Campbell for Earls (63), Josh Wycherley for Kilcoyne (65), Stephen Archer for Salanoa (69), Scott Buckley for Scannell (69).
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU).
