**The final day of the Guinness PRO14 season guarantees drama, as local rivals face off with play-off spots on the line.** And in 2018, we were treated to a classic as Ulster faced the daunting trip to Munster in need of a win to stand any hope of reaching the quarter-finals. Munster had long secured their spot in the knock-outs with 13 wins from 20 league games enough to secure one of the top three spots in Conference A, alongside runaway leaders Glasgow Warriors and impressive league new-boys Toyota Cheetahs. However, Conference B was a completely different story. Defending champions Scarlets were the headline act, while fellow heavyweights Leinster and Ulster and a resurgent Edinburgh Rugby ensured it was a tight battle from September to April. Four doesn’t go into three, so one of those sides would have to miss out. And while Leinster and Scarlets finished first and second in the table, Edinburgh and Ulster headed into the final weekend with plenty on the line. Ulster travelled to Limerick for a 5.45pm kick-off, knowing nothing less than a win would do, as they attempted to crank up the pressure on Edinburgh ahead of their 1872 Cup match with the Warriors a couple of hours later. **Munster’s fast start** Munster, safe in the knowledge they would host a quarter-final, rested several of their leading players – but those brought into the fray still had a point to prove. Munster’s record at Thomond Park is notoriously formidable and Leinster were the only team to leave with all the points that season, securing a 34-24 win in December. Ulster hadn’t tasted success there in four years and those bad recent memories perhaps played a part in their slow start, as Munster struck first. Scrum-half Dave Shanahan’s fumble in midfield proved costly as the alert Duncan Williams kicked, collected and scored the opening try to put Munster in the board in the third minute. JJ Hanrahan’s conversion stretched that lead to seven points but Ulster regrouped and hit back straight away. Jacob Stockdale – just six weeks on from the Six Nations campaign which catapulted him to stardom, with a record-breaking seven tries in one Championship leading Ireland to the Grand Slam – continued his fine season as he picked up a loose ball and offloaded perfectly for centre Stuart McCloskey to power over. **Rory’s the Best** Ulster fly-half Johnny McPhillips added the conversion and then a penalty to put Ulster ahead by three points but they soon suffered a blow as lock Iain Henderson was forced off with a knee injury.
