Munster secure convincing win over youthful Ulster

United Rugby Championship, round 16

Munster (12) 41

Tries: Hodnett 4, Kendellen 3 Cons: Hanrahan 3

Ulster (7) 14

Tries: Arenzana-King, Andrew Cons: Flannery 2

Munster leapfrogged Ulster in the United Rugby Championship table with a resounding seven-try 41-14 bonus-point win over their Irish interprovincial rivals at Thomond Park.

With two rounds of the regular season still to play, the victory enhances the hosts' hopes of making the top eight who will contest the end-of-season knockout phase of the competition but also deals a blow to their opponents' ambitions of participating in the play-off stages.

After an inexperienced injury-ravaged Ulster team made a promising start with a try by one of their youthful contingent, Aitzol Arenzana-King, Munster fought back, back row John Hodnett racking up four tries and substitute Alex Kendellen contributing a hat-trick.

John Andrew scored Ulster's second-half try, with Jake Flannery kicking two conversions.

Ulster have now lost five of their past eight URC encounters but must regroup for next Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter in Belfast and hope that at least some of their key players will be available again after injury.

After turning their attention to that encounter, they face two home games against the Stormers and Glasgow Warriors to conclude their regular URC season.

Munster's next match is away to Connacht, before they host the Lions.

Munster recover from early deficit

After a frenetic start in which the visitors looked the more enterprising, Arenzana-King, one of three academy players making their Ulster debuts, scored the opening try when he touched down in the corner.

The northern province lost Tom Brigg to the sin-bin for deliberately slapping down the ball when Munster were attacking and the hosts immediately capitalised on their numerical advantage when Hodnett broke clear from a drive for the line after a line-out to score from close range.

The Munster flanker grabbed his second try when he barged over after his side put together phase after phase and ultimately broke down their opponents' defences.

JJ Hanrahan's conversion, one of three he landed after being drafted in as late replacement for Jack Crowley who was injured in the warm-up, put five points between the teams at the break, after which the floodgates opened somewhat for Clayton McMillan's side.

Seven minutes after the restart replacement back Kendellen increased Munster's lead just minutes after entering the fray when he picked up from the base of the ruck and raced over from five metres after good work from Tom Ahern.

The bonus-point score was not long in arriving as wing Kendellen accepted the ball from Craig Casey five metres out and managed to bulldoze his way through two defenders before dotting down over the line.

Hodnett then completed his hat-trick as Casey and Gavin Coombes played their part, before the forward scored in the corner.

Andrew rumbled over at the back of a maul to reduce the deficit but Munster replied in style as Hodnett picked the ball up from Dan Kelly's pass on the left flank and dashed over from 30 yards, shrugging off a last-ditch tackle.

Kendellen then went over to become the second Munster player to score a treble of tries, blocking down a kick and winning a foot race to the line against James Humphreys.

Ben O'Donovan thought he had made it try number eight for Clayton McMillan's men but the score was chalked off for a forward pass.

Munster: Daly; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Smith; Hanrahan , Casey; Loughman, Barron, Jager, Kleyn, Beirne; Ahern, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Milne, Alaalatoa, Edogbo, Gleeson, O'Donovan, Kelly, Kendellen.

Ulster: Lowry; King, McIlroy, Carson, Moxham; Flannery, McKee; O'Sullivan, McCormick, O'Connor; Sheridan, Irvine; McKillop, Brigg, McLoughlin.

Replacements: Andrew, Reid, McAllister, Hopes, Rea, Shanhan, Humphreys, Scott.