skip to main content
United Rugby Championship logo

Munster hold off Ulster to earn priceless away win in Belfast

Updated / Friday, 22 Apr 2022 21:53
Jack O'Donoghue continued his impressive recent form
Jack O'Donoghue continued his impressive recent form

A first win for Munster in Belfast for five-and-a-half years, and it could hardly have come at a better time.

With Scotland and South Africa's finest breathing down their necks, Johann van Graan's side have taken a big step towards securing a home quarter-final in this season's United Rugby Championship, backing up last week's rousing win against Exeter with a 24-17 win against Ulster.

By contrast, the mood around Dan McFarland's side has shifted.

It's just 13 days since they appeared to have taken a major step when they won away in Toulouse, but after last week's second leg defeat to the French side, they've now been leapfrogged by their provincial rivals into third place in the URC, with just two games to go in the regular season.

It was deserved win by the visitors, who moved the ball around the pitch and played with real pace and fluidity to their game in the first half, before defending stoutly against Ulster's second half fightback.

Once again, Jack O'Donoghue impressed, continuing his career-best form, but it was the work of two Munster veterans that sent them on their way to success, with 34-year-old pair Stephen Archer and Keith Earls scoring tries in a five minute first half spell which sent them on their way.

A Rob Herring try early in the second half gave Ulster hope, and while the hosts wasted several opportunities to get back into the game, Sean Reidy's converted try in the final five minutes handed them a lifeline.

But it would only be good enough for a losing bonus point, with Joey Carbery's penalty in the final minute sealing a vital win for Munster.

The physicality was set inside 90 seconds, Earls hitting Rob Baloucoune with a sweetly timed tackle right beneath the chest, enough to keep the Ulster wing down catching his second wind for the guts of a minute.

But aided by a strong scrum, the home side gained the territory which yielded the first points, John Cooney kicking a penalty to make it 3-0 after a high tackle from Jean Kleyn.

It was a short-lived lead though, Munster tagging on a penalty of their own shortly after - again for a high tackle - with Carbery easily making it 3-3.

Both sides were looking to move the ball around, with favourable conditions on a dry, mild evening in Belfast, but the first try was of the old fashioned variety, a pick-and-go from the tighthead Archer.

It began when Shane Daly brilliantly reclaimed possession from a well-placed Casey boxkick, before Munster brought play across to the far touchline and won a penalty, which they sent into the corner.

And while the lineout was sloppy, Jack O'Donoghue mopped up the loose ball, before a series of pick-and-jam attempts saw Archer get over the line, for just his fifth Munster try, on his 246th appearance for the province.

Carbery's conversion made it 10-3, and they extended that advantage to 15-3 by the 27th minute when Earls coasted over in the corner after a slick move through the hands that began after they turned over an Ulster ball.

Jason Jenkins - a late addition to the starting team in place of Thomas Ahern - offloaded well to his second row partner Kleyn, and after quickly recycling the ball, they ran it through the hands before Chris Farrell fixed the final defender and played in Earls to score.

Carbery missed the conversion, but their lead was a healthy 12 points. Johann van Graan's side were looking by far the more fluid team.

Rugby can swing on small moments, and it very nearly happened in the final stages of the first half, Munster conceding a penalty in the Ulster 22, giving the hosts a chance to land a blow before half time.

They couldn't make it count though, referee Jaco Peyper catching Ulster offside at a crucial lineout, which was enough to see the sides into the break with Munster 15-3 in front, and good value for their lead.

To make matters worse for Ulster, they lost their captain Iain Henderson at the break, and found themselves 18-3 behind by the 44th minute, Carbery kicking his second penalty of the day after a pair of Ulster infringements in the 22.

Ulster needed a shot of life, and they got it on 47 minutes with their opening try of the game. After Ethan McIlroy gained the initial ground they won a penalty in Munster territory which they sent to the corner.

And from there, they went to their tried and trusted route, mauling Munster back as Herring touched down for the try, converted by Cooney, which made it 18-10.

The next score felt huge, and Ulster were handed the chance to get it when a series of penalties led them back into the corner. But for the second time on the night they handed a penalty right back at the lineout.

That error was compounded shortly after on the hour mark when Kendellen won a vital penalty on the ground for the visitors, after a series of sloppy Ulster passes saw them retreat inside their own half, with Carbery's kick from 38 metres out nudging Munster 21-10 ahead.

Ulster were getting chances, but they were failing to convert. Again they returned to the Munster 22 only to concede a penalty, this time hooker Brad Roberts finding himself isolated before holding on at the ruck.

The clock was ticking, and with seven minutes to go Ulster finally got a breakthrough. After Daly had been sent to the sin-bin for kicking the ball through a ruck, the home side pounced on the mistake, with Sean Reidy diving over from close range to score.

Nathan Doak's conversion made it 21-17, setting up a grandstand final five minutes.

But after a sloppy possession saw John Ryan boot the ball into Ulster territory, a few phases later Carbery was given the chance to ice the result with a penalty, which he sent between the sticks to make it 24-17, and see out a priceless away win.

Ulster: Stewart Moore; Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy; Mike Lowry, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore; Alan O'Connor, Iain Henderson (capt); Matty Rea, Jordi Murphy, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: Brad Roberts, Eric O'Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Sam Carter, Sean Reidy, Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.

Munster: Mike Haley; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Jason Jenkins; Jack O'Donoghue (capt), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Thomas Ahern, Fineen Wycherley, Conor Murray, Ben Healy, Chris Cloete.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)

More stories on

Read Next