Munster fell to a first home defeat of the season on Saturday evening with Ulster securing a 15-14 victory at Thomond Park.
Shane Daly scored the Munster try with Jack Crowley kicking three penalties as the hosts nearly came back to win a game they trailed 15-3 at half-time.
Playing with the strong wind in the opening 40, all of Ulster’s points came in the first half with Jordi Murphy and Tom Stewart scoring off rolling mauls and James Hume touching down in the final play of the half.
Munster were the better side after the break with Crowley kicking penalties on 48 and 54 minutes before replacement Simon Zebo set up Daly to score in the right corner on 65 minutes.
Crowley’s touchline conversion came back off the post and after a frantic finale, Ulster came out on top.
Ulster started well with Alex Kendellen unlucky to be penalised at the breakdown as the visitors kicked to the corner early on with Murphy on the end of the maul try.
Duane Vermeulen was very lucky not to be sin-binned early on as he pinned down Diarmuid Barron off the ball. Thankfully, a penalty was awarded and Crowley made it 5-3.
The Ulster rolling maul was the source of their second try with Stewart peeling off to score.
David McCann looked to be over for third Ulster try on 33 minutes but, thankfully, the TMO saw Nathan Doak’s knock-on in the build-up and the try was chalked off.
Malakai Fekitoa was yellow-carded for a high tackle on 38 minutes with Hume scoring against the 14 men on the stroke of half-time.
The rain was an unwelcome sight for Munster at half-time as we looked to chase the game.
Despite being down a man, Munster got the first score of the second half on 47 minutes as Ulster were pinged at the breakdown and Crowley’s second penalty made it 15-6.
Fekitoa returned before the restart with Munster back to their full complement.
Munster had their tails up with Kendellen and Jack O’Donoghue galloping down the right wing, before Crowley’s crossfield kick was claimed by Moxham.
The clearance against the wind went nowhere with Ulster penalised in the maul and then penalised in midfield with Crowley kicking his third penalty to make it 15-9 after 54 minutes.
Ulster’s Cormac Izuchukwu was sin-binned for delaying the game as Munster looked to get on with things and the first Munster try arrived shortly after.
Zebo showed great speed to go around the Ulster midfield before passing for Daly to finish expertly in the right corner after 66 minutes. Crowley’s conversion hit the post and Munster trailed 15-14 with 13 minutes to go.
Ulster looked to put the game to bed but Academy man Cian Hurley got up to steal a lineout five metres out.
Munster attacked from deep late on but Ulster held out to secure their first win in Limerick since 2014.
URC Round 7 Round-Up
Niall Scannell departed for a HIA after 69 minutes.
Three Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players featured: Patrick Campbell, Edwin Edogbo and Cian Hurley.
Neil Cronin and Eoin O’Connor made their first appearances of the season.
Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Malakai Fekitoa, Rory Scannell, Patrick Campbell (Simon Zebo, 61); Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson (Neil Cronin, 69); Dave Kilcoyne (Josh Wycherley, 60), Diarmuid Barron (Niall Scannell, 60 – 69), John Ryan (Roman Salanoa, 60); Edwin Edogbo, Eoin O’Connor (Cian Hurley, 50); Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.