Munster ends Ulster's dream

MATCH REPORT: Munster all but secured their place i the United Rugby Championship play-offs, while consigning fellow Irish province Ulster to a season in Europe’s second tier.

Munster recorded a precious 38-20 bonus-point win over interprovincial rivals Ulster in front of 17,684 spectators at Thomond Park on Friday.

Munster won by six tries to two, as Ulster, who made a bright start and led midway through the opening half, crumpled in another second half when they failed to visit the scoreboard.

Two yellow cards also hurt for Richie Murphy’s men with Stuart McCloskey’s 53rd-minute sin-binning proving particularly costly as Munster pulled away and Ulster’s challenge, not for the first time in this grim season, simply fizzled out.

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The scorers

For Munster
Tries: Milne, T Farrell 2, Beirne, N Scannell, O’Mahony
Cons: Crowley 4

For Ulster
Tries: McCloskey, Postlethwaite
Cons: Murphy 2
Pens: Murphy 2

Yellow cards: Scott Wilson (Ulster, 14), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster, 53)

Teams

Munster: 15 Thaakir Abrahams, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Diarmuid Kilgallen, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Michael Milne.
Replacements: 16 Lee Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 John Ryan, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Tom Ahern, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Seán O’Brien, 23 Alex Kendellen.

Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 Jude Postlethwaite, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jack Stockdale, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 James McNabney, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Matty Rea, 5 Cormac Izuchukwu, 4 Iain Henderson (captain), 3 Scott Wilson, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Andrew Warwick.
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Callum Reid, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Alan O’Connor, 20 David McCann, 21 Dave Shanahan, 22 Stewart Moore, 23 Werner Kok.

Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Andrew Fogarty (Ireland)
TMO: Keith David (Wales)