United Rugby Championship: Munster, Edinburgh and Stormers pick up key wins

Munster picked up a priceless 24-17 victory over Ulster on Friday in what is the latter’s first United Rugby Championship loss on home soil this season.

Tries from prop Stephen Archer and wing Keith Earls in the first half were added to by the boot of Joey Carbery as Munster claimed a vital triumph.

Ulster‘s tries came via hooker Rob Herring and back-row Sean Reidy as defeat sees them drop from second place to fourth position in the standings.

Ulster scrum-half John Cooney opened the scoring with a seventh-minute penalty, but Munster levelled it four minutes later through pivot Carbery.

Munster then claimed the next score just after the 20-minute mark when the visitors put a penalty to the corner where, from an untidy lineout, prop Archer drove over from close range.

Carbery’s conversion put them 10-3 ahead and this became 15-3 on 27 minutes.

Munster moved the ball at pace from left to right, with Damian de Allende and Carbery combining for former Ulster centre Chris Farrell to provide the assist for Keith Earls to touch down. Carbery missed the conversion.

Though Ulster battled to get back into the game, with Robert Baloucoune looking dangerous and Cooney making some determined runs, they made no inroads on the scoreboard as the opening half ended with Munster maintaining momentum and staying 12 points in front.

Ulster skipper Iain Henderson did not return for the second half and Munster got the first score through a Carbery penalty.

Ulster were given hope on 47 minutes when a terrific take by Stuart McCloskey launched an attack which led to a penalty and, in turn, saw Herring touching down from the resulting maul. Cooney also converted to cut Munster’s lead to 18-10.

Carbery kicked his third penalty just short of the