URC: Munster 24 Lions 17Munster did all that was required of them to secure a place in the knock-out stages of the URC and qualification for next season’s Champions Cup but, true to form, they didn’t make it easy on themselves.They will now head to Pretoria to take on the Bulls in the quarter-finals but the bonus point picked up by the Lions could have ramifications for Connacht as Stuart Lancaster’s men now drop to eighth place on points difference from the Johannesburg side and will miss out on Champions Cup rugby next season if Ulster win the Challenge Cup next Friday night.The sense of trepidation among the Munster faithful increased before kick-off with three late changes, the most significant being the withdrawal of Jack Crowley with “a knock”, while centre Alex Nankivell and lock Fineen Wycherley also had to withdraw.JJ Hanrahan took over at outhalf, Shane Daly came in on the wing in a reshuffled threequarter line and Evan O’Connell joined Tom Ahern in the secondrow.URC table And it was O’Connell, like his uncle Paul before him, who was the one who eased their nerves in this one when he got over for the opening try on seven minutes after they had been pounded by the Lions.The pressure was released when fullback Mike Haley executed a brilliant 50:22 down the left. O’Connell called the lineout on himself and a few phases later he was squeezed in under the posts, with Hanrahan’s conversion making it 7-0.That settled Munster and they looked set to build a decent lead as they went through the phases trying to find holes in Lions’ rearguard.But they got caught as they went wide with Lions fullback Quan Horn picking off Dan Kelly’s long pass wide to Andrew Smith on the left touchline near halfway. The net result was a try under the posts and a simple conversion from Chris Smith to make it 7-7 after 14 minutes.Munster opted for the posts after 23 minutes with Hanrahan pushing them back in front from the 22.Munster made life difficult for themselves when first Smith and then Seán O’Brien were both binned for deliberate knock-ons. And while they defended the Lions’ onslaught initially, the visitors finally managed to create the space and winger Kelly Mpeka got in five minutes from the break, with Smith’s conversion making it 14-10 to the visitors.Munster's Evan O'Connell in action against the Lions at Thomond Park. Photograph: Dan Clohessy/Inpho Munster finished the half on a high and while the Lions defended their line well, skipper Craig Casey spotted a gap and dived over, with Hanrahan’s conversion making it 17-14 at the interval.Hooker Niall Scannell received an ovation as he departed after 211 appearances while replacement tighthead prop John Ryan was also warmly greeted when he came on for his final game for Munster at Thomond Park.Munster extended their lead when Tom Ahern scored after another patient build-up, with Hanrahan’s conversion pushing the lead out to 24-14 after 55 minutes.But Smith cut the gap to a converted try with a penalty on the hour as both sides emptied their benches.That penalty ensured a nervous finish for Munster with Alex Kendellen doing superbly to get under RF Schoeman to prevent him scoring, while O’Brien likewise did well to beat Angelo Davids to the race after Haashim Pead had threaded a neat grubber, but Clayton McMillan’s men held out and will head to Pretoria for a quarter-final clash.SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 mins: O’Connell try, Hanrahan con, 7-0; 14: Q Horn try, Smith con, 7-8; 23: Hanrahan pen, 10-7; 31: Mpeka try, Smith con, 10-14; 40: Casey try, Hanrahan con, 17-14; Half-time: 17-14; 55: Ahern try, Hanrahan con, 24-14; 60: Smith pen, 24-17.Munster: M Haley; A Smith, D Kelly, S O’Brien, S Daly; JJ Hanrahan, C Casey (capt); J Loughman, N Scannell, M Ala’alatoa; T Ahern, E O’Connell; J O’Donoghue, J Hodnett, B Gleeson. Replacements: D Barron for Scannell (47 mins); A Kendellen for Hodnett (52); G Coombes for Ahern (58); J Ryan for Ala’alatoa (60); J Wycherley for Lougman (63); G Wood for Daly (69); R Quinn for Gleeson (75).LIONS: Q Horn; K Mpeku, H van Wyk, R Kriel, A Davids; C Smith, M van den Berg; SJ Kotze, PJ Botha, S Lombard; R Nothnagel, D Landsberg; S Mahashe, B Hlekani, F Horn (capt). Replacements: JC Pretorious for F Horn (39 mins); R Jonker for Kriel (h-t); H Pead for Van den Bergh (41); E Davids for Kotze, M Brandon for Botha, RF Schoeman for Lombard (all 57); S Qoma for Nothnagel (69); R Delport for Van Wyk (70).Referee: A Piardi (Italy).Quarter-final line-upGlasgow Warriors v ConnachtLeinster v LionsStormers v CardiffBulls v MunsterMatches to be played weekend May 29th-31st