The losing bonus point result also means that Richie Murphy's side can look forward to a mouth-watering URC Quarter-Final against Aviva Stadium next Saturday, as the Dubliners finished the regular season in third position.
In a back and forth encounter, Ulster had went into the lead at half-time after converted tries from Rob Herring and David McCann. The home side would narrow the score quickly in the second half before a Matty Rea try put the away side back in front. With the home side rallying at a packed at Thomond, two tries from Shane Daly and Eoghan Clarke gave the red army the advantage, with Jack Crowley's late penalty giving Munster the victory by six points.
Before the match started, Ulster had two changes to the team line-up, with Jude Postlethwaite and Stewart Moore replacing Stuart McCloskey and Ethan McIlroy in the starting XV. Aaron Sexton and Dave Ewers took their spots among the replacements.
Ulster started off on the back foot against the reigning URC champions, with the home side going a try up from Springbok lock, RG Snyman. Jack Crowley added the three.
Snyman had been involved in a TMO check for a tackle on Will Addison in the minutes before.
Ulster then received a further blow, losing lock, Kieran Treadwell to injury. Harry Sheridan replaced him with Ulster up against it.
Richie Murphy's men rallied and had some good spells of possession. Ulster got back on level terms through a well-executed lineout in the Munster 22, hooker Rob Herring providing the finish, after peeling off the back.
A superb John Cooney penalty pushed Ulster into the lead at 7-10. Munster threatened to score through Calvin Nash but a brilliant covering tackle from Nick Timoney in retreat stopped the Ireland international.
The province were tenacious in the breakdown throughout the half and were meeting the physical battle with force.
Ulster would add to their lead in the dying moments of the half. Following a scrum from 5m out, Ulster's forwards piled towards the tryline and David McCann burrowed his way over from close range for an important score on the stroke of half-time. Cooney's conversion made the scoreline 7-17 at HT.
HT: Munster 7-17 Ulster
After the second half restarted, Munster stepped up their intensity with the roar of the home crowd behind them. David McCann was a thorn in Munster's side once again, reading an RG Snyman pass to perfection and breaking into the Munster half. From that attack, Jack Crowley gave away a penalty, however John Cooney's kick pinged off the left post after the wind pulled the effort.
The home side gained momentum immediately after, and Craig Casey found Calvin Nash in space down the right wing for a simple finish.
However, the away side responded with huge courage, as an outstanding carry into the a Munster 22 from Cormac Izuchukwu led to replacement, Matty Rea, diving over for a fantastic response. Cooney nailed the conversion.
The home side responded and narrowed Ulster's lead soon after, with Shane Daly scoring after the ball was worked wide and then minutes later Munster took the lead. After turning down a penalty, Crowley kicked to the corner and hooker, Eoghan Clarke, finished from a lineout maul from 5m out.
Crowley would miss the conversion but then add a late penalty to increase the margin to six points.
Ulster fought tooth and nail to get back into the lead, however did enough to secure a losing bonus point and secure Champions Cup rugby for 2024/25.
Richie Murphy's side will now collect themselves and get ready for a huge battle next weekend at Aviva Stadium against Leinster in the Quarter-Final.
Scorers:
Munster:
TRY: Snyman, Nash, Daly, Clarke
PEN: Crowley
CON: Crowley x3
Ulster:
TRY: Herring, McCann, Rea
PEN: Cooney
CON: Cooney x3
Teams
Munster:
(15-9) Zebo; Nash, O’Brien, R Scannell, Daly; Crowley, Casey;
(1-8) Loughman, N Scannell, Archer, Snyman, Beirne (capt), O’Mahony, Kendellen, O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Clarke, Ryan, Jager, Ahern, Coombes, Murray, Carbery, Hodnett.
Ulster:
(15-9) Stewart Moore, Mike Lowry, Will Addison, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney;
(1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor (C), Cormac Izuchukwu, David McCann, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Tom Stewart (Rob Herring), Andy Warwick (Eric O'Sullivan), Scott Wilson (Tom O'Toole), Harry Sheridan (Kieran Treadwell), Matty Rea (Alan O'Connor), Nathan Doak, Aaron Sexton (Will Addison), Dave Ewers (Matty Rea).