WITH this tight 24-17 win over Lions in their final regular-season tie at Thomond Park, Munster qualified for the last eight of the URC, and, more importantly, secured Champions Cup entry for next season.
Fifth-place Munster will now be away to the Bulls in Pretoria in the quarter-final in two weeks’ time.
The Reds led 17-14 at the interval.
Late replacement Evan O’Connell, captain Craig Casey and Tom Ahern scored tries for the winners, while JJ Hanrahan hit nine points off the tee.
Casey led all through at the front and was a clear choice as Man of the Match.
Munster were down to 13 players for a spell.
For retiring pair John Ryan and Niall Scannell, it was their last outing in Limerick, which was suitably applauded by the attendance of
In contrast, Gordon Wood made his competitive debut for the home club.
A main talking point afterward was an alleged spit on Diarmuid Barron.
Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Smith, Dan Kelly, Seán O’Brien, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey, captain; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell (D Barron 46’), Michael Ala’alatoa; Tom Ahern (Coombes 57’), Evan O’Connell; Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson (Quinn 75’).
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Gavin Coombes, Alex Kendellen, Ben O’Donovan, Gordon Wood, Ruadhán Quinn.