{"id":417371,"date":"2026-04-25T19:39:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/417371\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T19:39:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:39:20","slug":"four-try-john-hodnett-leads-munster-to-comfortable-win-at-thomond-park-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/417371\/","title":{"rendered":"Four-try John Hodnett leads Munster to comfortable win at Thomond Park \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

FT: Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s Munster captain Tadhg Beirne:<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all from me for today, thanks for following along.<\/p>\n

John O\u2019Sullivan\u2019s report will be with us shortly, and we\u2019ll also have a report from Leinster\u2019s trip to Benetton, which got under way at 7.45pm<\/p>\n

All the best!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what man of the match John Hodnett had to say after the win:<\/p>\n

Ulster\u2019s strong start wasn\u2019t enough to hold off Munster, who ultimately claimed the bonus-point win.<\/p>\n

John Hodnett ended the game with four tries to his credit, Alex Kendellen with three.<\/p>\n

Ulster\u2019s tries came from Aitzol Arenzana-King and John Andrew either side of the break.<\/p>\n

John O\u2019Sullivan will have a full match report for us from Thomond Park shortly.<\/p>\n

FT: Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

All over at Thomond Park. A comprehensive win in the end for Clayton McMillan\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

FT: Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

79 MINS: Munster pinged for blocking the scrumhalf at the ruck.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, John Hodnett named man of the match.<\/p>\n

Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

78 MINS: Ulster haven\u2019t given up as they look to find a way into Munster\u2019s 22.<\/p>\n

Jake Flannery sends a risky pass out to the wing and Shane Daly intercepts.<\/p>\n

Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

74 MINS: No try. Munster\u2019s Lee Barron is done for obstruction in the lead up to the try so it\u2019s chalked off.<\/p>\n

Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

73 MINS: Munster are off again. Ben O\u2019Donovan runs one in on his first Thomond Park cap.<\/p>\n

Oh wait, TMO has flagged a potential obstruction.<\/p>\n

Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

69 MINS: TMO initially says Ulster grounded it but the referee asks him to run it back again.<\/p>\n

Ulster\u2019s touch isn\u2019t deemed a press, so Kendellen\u2019s secondary touch has the downward momentum to earn the try.<\/p>\n

A second Munster player claims a hat-trick of tries as JJ Hanrahan kicks the conversion.<\/p>\n

Munster 41 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

69 MINS: Maybe another try from Alex Kendellen, trying to keep up with Hodnett.<\/p>\n

TMO is checking out the grounding.<\/p>\n

Munster 34 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

68 MINS: Stunning run up the left wing ends in John Hodnett\u2019s fourth try.<\/p>\n

All came from a great break from Dan Kelly.<\/p>\n

No conversion from JJ Hanrahan.<\/p>\n

Munster 34 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

65 MINS: Ulster win the lineout and go to the maul. They get a great initial shove but Munster recover.<\/p>\n

Ulster go again and John Andrew gets over.<\/p>\n

Flannery adds the conversion.<\/p>\n

Munster 29 Ulster 14<\/p>\n

64 MINS: Ulster get a nice run of play going off the back of an advantage but a forward pass brings it back for Humphreys to kick to the corner.<\/p>\n

The replacement outhalf gets every inch out of it.<\/p>\n

Munster 29 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

62 MINS: Captain Michael Lowry makes way for Ulster, James Humphreys coming on in his stead. Huge shift from Lowry, was a nuisance for the Munster defence. <\/p>\n

Munster 29 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

57 MINS: Tadhg Beirne is taken out in the air from the restart but the referee says it\u2019s just a penalty.<\/p>\n

Munster send it up the line for the lineout. They go short and Lee Barron finds possession. The hosts don\u2019t roll away at the breakdown so Ulster penalty.<\/p>\n

Munster 29 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

56 MINS: Munster get their fifth try.<\/p>\n

Incredible pass from Craig Casey to Tom Ahern. He feeds Gavin Coombes on the run who passes off to John Hodnett for his third try of the game. <\/p>\n

No joy for Hanrahan off the kicking tee. Just hasn\u2019t been his day.<\/p>\n

Munster 29 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

53 MINS: Munster with a lineout on Ulster\u2019s five-meter line.<\/p>\n

They win the lineout and go straight to the maul but make little progress. Munster split from the maul and after two phases Alex Kendellen gets in under the posts for his second try.<\/p>\n

Hanrahan slots the extras.<\/p>\n

Munster 24 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

51 MINS: Ulster lineout is misfiring and Munster gain possession.<\/p>\n

Craig Casey pulling the strings for Munster now as the hosts up the ante in search of a bonus-point try.<\/p>\n

Munster 17 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

47 MINS: Try number three for Munster.<\/p>\n

Andrew Smith feeds a lovely pass in off the wing on the run to Tom Ahern. The ball goes to ground but Alex Kendellen is quick to collect and scampers over.<\/p>\n

JJ Hanrahan again can\u2019t manage the conversion.<\/p>\n

Munster 17 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

46 MINS: Craig Casey goes to the air after Munster\u2019s attack goes stagnant. Great take in the air by Aitzol Arenzana-King.<\/p>\n

Oli Jager is forced off for a HIA, Michael Ala\u2019alatoa comes in.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

44 MINS: Farrell can\u2019t continue so Alex Kendellen is in.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

43 MINS: Huge tackle from Andrew Smith to force an Ulster knock-on.<\/p>\n

Separately, Tom Farrell looks in real bother, seems a wrist injury.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

Almost ready to get back under way for the second half.<\/p>\n

Munster\u2019s JJ Hanrahan with the restart.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

HALF-TIME: Ulster made the brighter start but Tom Brigg\u2019s yellow card opened the door for Munster the haul themselves into the game.<\/p>\n

The hosts lead at the break.<\/p>\n

HT: Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

39 MINS: Some good play from Ulster nearly sends Tom Brigg through but the pass doesn\u2019t go to hand.<\/p>\n

Munster pounce and kick it long to put Ulster\u2019s backline under pressure. There\u2019s too much on the kick though and it\u2019s into touch.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

37 MINS: TMO flags a potential high tackle by Munster\u2019s Shane Daly. Referee deems there was no foul play so on we go.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

35 MINS: Scrum for Ulster and they win the penalty for an early Munster push.<\/p>\n

Ulster launch an lightening attack but Andrew Smith puts a brilliant tackle in to stop them in their tracks.<\/p>\n

Richie Murphy\u2019s side are returned to the full compliment with the return of Tom Brigg from the bin.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

32 MINS: Ulster bring in Callum Reid in place of Eric O\u2019Sullivan after Calvin Nash\u2019s 100th-cap appearance is cut short, he\u2019s replaced by Dan Kelly.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

30 MINS: John Hodnett bursts through Ulster\u2019s defensive line and lays it off to Gavin Coombes.<\/p>\n

Ulster slow the attack under the posts but Craig Casey plays it to Hodnett who\u2019s helped over by Edwin Edogbo and Tom Ahern for his second of the afternoon.<\/p>\n

JJ Hanrahan\u2019s conversion is good.<\/p>\n

Munster 12 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

28 MINS: Great work at the breakdown from Tadhg Beirne to turn it over.<\/p>\n

Munster starting to put the phases together but they\u2019re showing some sloppiness in the passing. Nonetheless they\u2019re building some momentum now.<\/p>\n

Munster 5 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

24 MINS: Try for Munster. John Hodnett finds a way over after peeling off the back of a lineout maul.<\/p>\n

JJ Hanrahan doesn\u2019t make the conversion to leave Ulster still ahead.<\/p>\n

Munster 5 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

23 MINS: Ulster knock-on into touch for a Munster scrum.<\/p>\n

Craig Casey feeds the scrum and they earn the penalty. Now they\u2019re finding a way forward.<\/p>\n

Ulster\u2019s Tom Brigg is shown a yellow card for an intentional knock-on.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

20 MINS: Michael Lowry causing Munster considerable pain in attack. Ulster almost find a gap but they go off their feet in the breakdown and Munster have the penalty.<\/p>\n

Munster struggling to put anything together with Ulster dominating the possession.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

18 MINS: Munster win a penalty with a strong counter ruck. But the positivity doesn\u2019t last long. Ulster repay the favour with their own turnover.<\/p>\n

Jonny Scott in for Ben Carson for Ulster, while Jean Kleyn has failed his HIA so Edogbo will remain in play<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

13 MINS: Ulster attack with pace and Michael Lowry finds Aitzol Arenzana-King to touch down in the corner.<\/p>\n

The referee checks the grounding and it\u2019s all good.<\/p>\n

Jake Flannery slots the extras.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 7<\/p>\n

12 MINS: Ulster claim the ball from a lineout on Munster\u2019s five-meter line.<\/p>\n

They drive over from the maul but Munster hold them up.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

11 MINS: Munsster captain Tadhg Beirne isn\u2019t happy, claiming Ulster are coming in from the side.<\/p>\n

Ulster\u2019s Eric O\u2019Sullivan looks to be in a bit of bother, down getting a bit of treatment but he\u2019s okay to play on.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

10 MINS: Ulster win a lineout and put Munster\u2019s defence to the test again.<\/p>\n

They go through the phases and get advantage for an accidental knock-on from Calvin Nash. Nothing coming from it so it goes back for the scrum.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

7 MINS: Tadhg Beirne knocks on for the first scrum of the game.<\/p>\n

Ulster have the put in but it doesn\u2019t come to that, Oli Jager is penalised and Ulster win the penalty.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

4 MINS: Andrew Smith gets a block down on a clearance kick by Ulster and the cavalry arrive to put the visitors under pressure attempting to get out of their own 22.<\/p>\n

Referee Sam Grove-White awards a penalty to Ulster, but it\u2019s great work from Munster.<\/p>\n

Edwin Edogbo comes in for Jean Kleyn who took a heavy knock in an earlier play. Off for a HIA.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

2 MINS: Ulster go through the hands and find a gap through James McKillop. He\u2019s brought down just short of the line by JJ Hanrahan and Shane Daly.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

0 MINS: Jake Flannery gets us under way at Thomond Park.<\/p>\n

Munster 0 Ulster 0<\/p>\n

Late change for Munster: Jack Crowley out, JJ Hanrahan starts at outhalf for the hosts.<\/p>\n

Crowley didn\u2019t come through the warm-up.<\/p>\n

Ten minutes to kick-off at Thomond Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cViewed from the outside, and no doubt by some on the inside too, the latest bout of off-field upheavals at Munster might be considered a crisis,\u201d Gerry Thornley writes of a trying few weeks for the southern province. \u201cBut, of course, this has almost become the new normal at Munster over the last few months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read Gerry\u2019s analysis in full below: <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Munster likely to remain the IRFU\u2019s problem child no matter how they behave on the pitchOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

All four provinces are in action today.<\/p>\n

In Johannesburg, Connacht have been beaten 33-21 by the Lions.<\/p>\n

Leinster are away to Benetton from 7.45pm Irish time.<\/p>\n

It had all been going so well for Ulster, but as we\u2019ve reached the business end of the season the province look at risk of falling asunder because of injuries.<\/p>\n

In the latest episode of The Counter Ruck podcast, Nathan Johns chats to John O\u2019Sullivan about the injury woes facing Richie Murphy.<\/p>\n

Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:<\/p>\n

\"\"Could injuries derail Ulster’s stellar season?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only show in town this weekend is Munster hosting Ulster at Thomond Park,\u201d Conor Murray writes in his latest column. But then again, the former Munster scrumhalf would say that, wouldn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n

However, he does offer some context to back up his assertion: \u201cNeither province is in the Champions Cup. Ulster could go one better than Munster by beating Exeter in the Challenge Cup semi-final, but the picture of the entire season can be altered by Saturday\u2019s result.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ZacZac Ward celebrates scoring a try with Stuart McCloskey during Ulster’s Challenge Cup quarter-final win over La Rochelle. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo\/Inpho <\/p>\n

Acknowledging that while Munster are \u201chaving a difficult year\u201d and Ulster are making strong progress, \u201clate Saturday evening is what really matters\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are just four points separating the Lions in fourth and Connacht in ninth. The URC run-in can turn a poor campaign into a good one \u2013 and vice versa.”<\/p>\n

Read Murray\u2019s column in full below:<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Conor Murray: Win over Ulster can help Munster redefine their troubled seasonOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps only the Texians at the Alamo faced longer odds against the overwhelmingly superior resources of Mexican General Antonio L\u00f3pez de Santa Anna than Ulster do in Limerick,\u201d writes John O\u2019Sullivan, previewing the game. \u201cAnd we know how James Bowie and his buddies fared back in 1836.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ulster are without a spate of starters due in part to “ridiculously long injury list\u201c, while Richie Murphy may also be erring on the side of caution ahead of next weekend\u2019s Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter.<\/p>\n

\"UlsterUlster head coach Richie Murphy. Photograph: Grace Halton\/Inpho <\/p>\n

\u201cMurphy\u2019s side are 28-point underdogs with a line-up that shows 15 changes from the run-on team that lost to Leinster in Belfast last weekend,\u201d John writes, while \u201cMunster, in contrast, show just one change from the team that hammered Benetton in Treviso. Oli Jager takes over from Michael Ala\u2019alatoa, who drops to the bench.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read John\u2019s preview in full below:<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Munster hold a powerful upper hand as injury-ravaged Ulster come to LimerickOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Hello everyone! Welcome along to The Irish Times live blog for today\u2019s United Rugby Championship<\/a> fixture between Munster<\/a> and Ulster<\/a> at Thomond Park.<\/p>\n

Kick-off in Limerick is at 5.30pm, but before that we\u2019ll be running through some team news, as well as some comment and analysis from our team of writers.<\/p>\n

To get us started, here are the respective teams Clayton McMillan<\/a> and Richie Murphy<\/a> have named for this afternoon..<\/p>\n

\"ThomondThomond Park ahead of the game. Photograph: Nick Elliott\/Inpho <\/p>\n

MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Michael Ala\u2019alatoa, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ben O\u2019Donovan, Dan Kelly, Alex Kendellen.<\/p>\n

ULSTER: Michael Lowry; Aitzol Arenzana-King, Ethan McIlroy, Ben Carson, Ben Moxham; Jake Flannery, Conor McKee; Eric O\u2019Sullivan, James McCormick, Bryan O\u2019Connor; Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine; James McKillop, Tom Brigg, Lorcan McLoughlin. Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Reid, Tom McAllister, Joe Hopes, Marcus Rea, Dave Shanahan, James Humphreys, Jonny Scott.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FT: Munster 41 Ulster 14 And here\u2019s Munster captain Tadhg Beirne: That\u2019s all from me for today, thanks…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":417372,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,11897,43,40,38,41,39,31398,14881],"class_list":["post-417371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-munster-rugby","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories","tag-ulster-rugby","tag-united-rugby-championship"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=417371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417371\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/417372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}