Munster clinched a hard-fought bonus-point win over the Lions at a sold-out Musgrave Park on Friday night in very difficult conditions.

The tries came from Scott Buckley (two), Jack O’Donoghue, Paddy Patterson & Liam Coombes with Ben Healy adding four conversions.

Munster led 12-3 at half-time having played against the wind and driving rain in the opening 40 minutes.

The conditions calmed in the final quarter and Munster pushed on to clinch the bonus-point on 75 minutes as a brilliant individual score from Liam Coombes secured all five points.

Jordan Hendrikse kicked Lions into the lead after six minutes when Munster were pinged at the breakdown.

Munster responded with the first try on 10 minutes as the pack patiently mauled over with Buckley touching down after Healy had kicked superbly to the corner.

Lions had the scrum dominance and were putting huge pressure on the Munster pack but the hosts did well to survive an onslaught after conceding a number of scrum penalties, eventually winning a turnover.

Munster were in for their second try on 28 minutes as O’Donoghue charged through the middle of a ruck before offloading to Paddy Patterson with O’Donoghue scoring off the base of a ruck a few phases later.

Healy’s conversion made it 12-3 at the break.

Alex Kendellen was held up over the line after a Malakai Fekitoa offload to Mike Haley in another promising Munster attack.

Patterson showed his pace to break through the middle of a ruck on 49 minutes and race in for his second try in as many games with Healy making it 19-3.

Ben Healy made a vital tackle on Edwill van der Merwe as Lions looked dangerous on the counter attack with Kendellen in to win a turnover and relieve the pressure.

The Lions’ scrum dominance continued but a knock-on spoiled a promising attack. Conor Murray got Munster back into Lions territory with a perfectly judged clearing kick before fellow replacement Dan Goggin made an important tackle on 72 minutes to win a penalty as Healy kicked to the corner.

The lineout went astray but when Lions looked to chip over the Munster defence, Liam Coombes gathered the loose ball and broke a tackle before a slaloming run saw him score a thrilling bonus-point try on 75 minutes.

Healy converted and Buckley rounded off the win with a second maul try in the final play with Healy converting both as Munster move up to fifth in the table.

URC Round 12 Round-Up

John Hodnett was named BKT URC Player of the Match.

The game was an 8,008 sell-out.

Munster move up to fifth in the table ahead of the weekend’s other action.

Diarmuid Barron (shoulder) and Josh Wycherley (ribs) both departed with knocks and will be assessed by the medical department.

Munster: Mike Haley (Patrick Campbell, 54); Shane Daly, Malakai Fekitoa, Rory Scannell (Dan Goggin, 59), Liam Coombes; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson (Conor Murray, 58); Josh Wycherley (Dave Kilcoyne, 32), Diarmuid Barron (inj, Scott Buckley, 4), Roman Salanoa (Stephen Archer, 44); Jean Kleyn (Cian Hurley, 56), Gavin Coombes; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett (72), Alex Kendellen.