Munster's unbeaten start to the BKT United Rugby Championship is over after an inspired second-half comeback from Ulster saw the northern province win a thrilling Interpro at Kingspan Stadium.
Dan McFarland's side had been left frustrated after blowing a 17-point lead away to Connacht last week at the Sportsground, but this week it was their turn to come from behind, claiming a 21-14 win having trailed 14-3 at one stage in the opening half.
While some of Ulster's comeback can be credited to their strength off the bench, with Iain Henderson, Rob Herring and debutant Scott Wilson all making significant contributions in the second half, it was flanker David McCann who carried this win.
The 23-year-old was a constant presence in defence and at the breakdown, while he picked off two Munster lineouts in quick succession during the second half as his side dominated the second 40.
Munster had started the game brilliantly, winning three early scrum penalties to set up Craig Casey's try inside the first 10 minutes, and the Munster scrum-half was his side's standout player, adding a second try midway through the second half.
Ulster had been second best in that first half, but stayed in touch with a try from Jacob Stockdale and a penalty from Nathan Doak.
The Ulster scrum-half ended the night with 11 points, drawing his side level with a pair of penalties as they gained full control of the game in the second half, before converting Nick Timoney's winning try on 67 minutes, as the home side got back on track following last week's tough loss in Galway.
With Ulster shorn of three tighthead props, Munster were expected to have the edge at the scrum, and that proved true right from the start.
Rowntree's side earned field position with a scrum penalty just inside the Ulster half on three minutes as they marched their way into the 22.
Two more scrum penalties followed, first against Greg McGrath and then on Eric O’Sullivan, with Munster opting to pack down again each time, and when Munster were awarded advantage for the fourth time in a row, it was Casey who sniped through a gap to score under the posts before Crowley converted to make it 7-0 after 10 minutes.
Ulster got one back shortly after with a scrum penalty of their own to launch their first attack.
It almost ended with an equalising try as Ethan McIlroy burst through towards the posts, but the full-back was hit with a heavy double-tackle by Diarmuid Barron and Shane Daly. The Ulsterman appeared to be knocked-out instantly, and after a lengthy injury stoppage he was thankfully able to walk from the pitch, with Daly sent to the sin-bin after the high tackle.
Doak tapped over the resulting penalty to make it 7-3 on 13 minutes, but three minutes later Munster and Casey were in for their second try of the night, the scrum-half squeaking in to score from close range, diving under the tackle of Cormac Izuchukwu.
Another conversion from Crowley extended the visitors’ lead to 14-3, having won Daly’s sin-bin period 7-3.
On 25 minutes Ulster did hit back. Baloucoune won a penalty in midfield to put McFarland’s side on the attack, and after dragging Munster from touchline to touchline they created a huge overlap on the left wing, with Burns floating a beautiful kick out to Stockdale who raced onto it to score his fourth try of the season.
That try reduced the arrears to 14-8, but they couldn’t add the conversion, as Doak’s strike off the touchline fell just short of the posts.
Munster were in control on the scoreboard, but their handling was consistently letting them down. Daly and Nash both dropped high balls, although the former was spared of the error by a tip-tackle from Timoney.
Antoine Frisch also looked out of sync with two spillages in the space of a few minutes, the second of which was almost punished by Ulster as they broke down the touchline.
The champions made it to half time with their six-point lead intact though, with Crowley and Alex Nankivell coming with a crucial choke-tackle to see out the first 40 minutes.
Ulster's kicking game had forced some Munster errors in the opening half, and that continued after the break.
The visitors dealt poorly with a Doak box-kick on 44 minutes and it allowed McCann to force a penalty, 40 metres out and at an angle.
It was just beyond the range of Doak, as Ulster kicked for the corner, but when another penalty followed under the sticks two minutes later, the scrum-half had a simple tap-over to make it a three-point game at 14-11.
The home side had plenty of experience on the bench, and just before the 50th minute mark they called for Ireland internationals Henderson and Herring, the latter of whom was making a record 230th appearance for the province.
It was one of their younger stars, McCann, who was running the show however, stealing two lineouts off Munster’s replacement hooker Scott Buckley in the space of two minutes, but his side couldn’t capitalise.
As the hour mark approached, the home side were now well on top. Ulster brought academy tighthead Wilson in for his debut, and the 21-year-old played his part in a big scrum penalty for his side to send them back into Munster territory.
Once again, though, they couldn’t execute when they got into the 22.
It felt like a matter of time before Ulster scored, and with 17 minutes left they tied the game up at 14-14 with a third Doak penalty, the scrum-half landing a long-range kick after Archer was penalised.
The northern province were utterly dominant, and deservedly got in for their second try on 67 minutes. Having pinned Munster into the corner with a delicate kick from Doak, they won a scrum from a Tom Ahern knock-on, and again got a powerful shove from O’Sullivan and Wilson.
Another penalty advantage arrived, with Timoney breaking from the base to charge over and score, with Doak landing the conversion to make it 21-14 in the home side’s favour.
Suddenly having to chase the game, Munster threw everything they had at the hosts in the final 10 minutes.
With 30 seconds left to play, it looked like they were about to get over, but Josh Wycherley was held up over the line by Henderson, and while Munster again hammered their way into the 22 with the clock in the red, it was appropriately the record-maker Herring who came up with the match-winning turnover.
Ulster: Ethan McIlroy, Rob Baloucoune, Stewart Moore, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, Nathan Doak; Eric O'Sullivan, Tom Stewart (capt), Greg McGrath; Cormac Izuchukwu, Kieran Treadwell; Marcus Rea, David McCann, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Callum Reid, Rob Herring, Scott Wilson, Iain Henderson, Dave Ewers, John Cooney, Jake Flannery, Ben Moxham, Jude Postlethwaite.
Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Seán O'Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (capt), John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Alex Kendellen, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Scott Buckley, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Tom Ahern, Brian Gleeson, Paddy Patterson, Rory Scannell, Ben O'Connor.
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
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