The Vodacom Bulls became the first South African team to win a BKT United Rugby Championship fixture at Thomond Park as they battled past Munster in a 16-13 victory.
Replacement Keagan Johannes split the posts with a 72nd-minute penalty, which proved to be the only score of the second half.
Marcell Coetzee and Thaakir Abrahams traded tries before Jack Crowley kicked Munster level for half-time at 10-10.
Embrose Papier's sin-binning was followed by two more penalties from Crowley and Johan Goosen, but it was Johannes’ right boot that ended Munster’s 11-match winning run at home to South African sides.
Despite Craig Casey and Peter O’Mahony being late withdrawals, the hosts got off to a positive start with Crowley landing an eighth-minute penalty.
A sustained Bulls attack following a scrum penalty saw Coetzee crash over on the quarter-hour mark. Goosen converted and then drained a penalty to make it 10-3.
HT: MUN 10-10 BUL
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In his first URC start in five months, Abrahams does well to hold onto it and taps it down, a huge moment for Munster ahead of the break as Crowley gets the conversion to level things up.
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The Munster men, who had Sean O’Brien to thank for an important interception, made up for an earlier lineout misfire. They drew more penalties before Crowley and Alex Nankivell sent Abrahams over in the left corner.
Following Crowley’s crisply-struck conversion, Papier earned a 43rd-minute yellow card for offside when Conor Murray tapped a penalty quickly.
However, Goosen soon managed to kick the 14-man Bulls back in front amid heavy rainfall. Crowley hit back to make it 13 points apiece with half an hour remaining.
An injury to veteran Munster prop Stephen Archer, who had himself replaced Oli Jager, prompted uncontested scrums, before Johannes missed his first place-kick. He made amends shortly afterwards though, punishing a high tackle.
However, Andrea Piardi's erroneous decision to force off Alex Kendellen after injuries to both tightheads proved a major talking point.
This was an important result on the road for the Bulls who are within touching distance of a home quarter-final.
It took a big defensive stand in the dying minutes to see it out, as Munster suffered only their second home URC loss in Limerick this season.
