Munster quell Ulster's URC challenge at Kingspan Stadium
Ulster 17-24 Munster
Munster resisted Ulster's second-half revival on Friday night to claim a worthy win that takes them above their rivals in the United Rugby Championship.
The visitors held a 12-point advantage in Belfast courtesy of tries from Stephen Archer and Keith Earls.
Ulster however responded with scores from Rob Herring and Sean Reidy to salvage a losing bonus point.
However that is only scant consolation for a side that have now gone on a worrying run of form - having lost four of their last five games.
If the Sharks were to beat Leinster with a bonus point in Durban on Saturday, Ulster would sit fifth in the URC and out of the home quarter-final places having started Friday in second.
Despite a strong ending to the encounter finish and the fleeting threat of a late turnaround after Reidy's 75th-minute try returned them to within four points, Dan McFarland's men were far from top gear for much of the clash as Munster took a controlled win without hitting top gear.
By the time they kicked off in Belfast, Ulster had already fallen to third in the table thanks to the Stormers' earlier success over Glasgow.
Ulster's first half showing was far from the convincing display they were looking to produce as they were comfortably stunted by a Munster defence which looked very comfortable.
Archer carved out a lead for the away side in the 22nd minute with a close-range try that came after they took possession of an overthrown line-out on Ulster's five-metre line.
When they turned the ball over in midfield after 28 minutes the visiting backs again found enough green space, as the ball was moved right for Chris Farrell to power through an opening before drawing Ethan McIlroy and sending Earls in.
Finally when Ulster did create some space of their own and released Stewart Moore into the 22 late in the half, the full-back threw an ill-advised offload straight into touch.
Rob Herring's 49th-minute try gave Ulster a chance of redemption.
But to further compound Ulster's worries, captain Iain Henderson did not come back out after half-time.
Herring struck back nine minutes after the interval as Ulster gave themselves and the home fan hope to cling to for the remainder of the contest. The atmosphere prior to that around the famous Belfast ground had, understandably, been somewhat jaded.
However Munster were not rattled by this and indeed were able to hold their inter-provincial rivals at arm's length with Joey Carbery sticking on two penalties to ensure they remained in possession of a two-score gap.
Ulster did rally again to their credit in the closing quarter, with Bradley Roberts and Robert Baloucoune battling to win turnovers in Munster territory, but the hosts were unable to make this count with points in either case.
When Reidy drove over from a metre out, Ulster had just the merest whiff of an unlikely last-gasp smash-and-grab, but that would prove to be the last time they found themselves behind enemy lines as Munster came away with a victory it would be tough to argue they did not deserve.
Ulster: Moore; Baloucoune, Hume, McCloskey, McIlroy; Lowry, Cooney; Warwick, Herring, Moore; O'Connor, Henderson (capt), Matty Rea, Murphy, Timoney.
Replacements: Roberts, O'Sullivan, Milasinovich, Carter, Reidy, Doak, Madigan, Moxham.
Munster: Haley; Earls, Farrell, De Allende, Daly; Carbery, Casey; Loughman, Barron, Archer, Kleyn, Ahern; O'Donoghue (capt), Hodnett, Kendellen.
Replacements: Buckley, J Wycherley, Ryan, Jenkins, F Wycherley, Murray, Healy, Cloete.