WATCH: Resilient Munster Rugby lay Leinster bogey to secure URC final date in Cape Town

RESILIENT Munster Rugby advanced to this season's United Rugby Championship final after securing a dramatic 16-15 semi-final victory over arch rivals Leinster at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening.

A 78th minute drop goal from the boot of Jack Crowley saw three-time league winners Munster edge an epic interprovincial clash to secure a final date with holders the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday, May 27 at 5.30pm Irish time.

Munster will be seeking to win silverware for the first time since 2011 when the province defeated Leinster in the Magners League grand final at Thomond Park.

Only a few short weeks ago there were questions being asked over whether Munster would qualify for the knock-out stages of this season's URC as well as next season's Heineken Champions Cup.

However, a series of excellent displays on the road have seen Munster book their place in Europe's premier club rugby competition next season and a spot in the upcoming URC final. And the province has done it in some style too!

Munster can now look forward to a return trip to Cape Town, scene of their precious 26-24 victory over their URC final opponents The Stormers in the middle of last month.

This is the moment when Jack Crowley wrote himself into the #BKTURC history books... ✍️#URC | #UnitedWeRise | #LEIvMUN | @MunsterRugby pic.twitter.com/lYVcG3pBG3

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) May 13, 2023

Adding to the huge degree of satisfaction felt by Munster's players, backroom team members and supporters at full-time at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening was the fact that the province had lost their last five semi-finals in all competitions, while it was only the second time in the provincial rivals last 12 meetings that Munster had defeated their arch rivals.

Munster's only success against Heineken Champions Cup finalists Leinster in their previous 11 fixtures since 2018 was at the RDS Arena in the Rainbow Cup in April 2021.

And the last time that Leinster were defeated by an Irish province in the semi-final of any competition was in the Champions Cup in 2006 with Munster winning 30-6 at Aviva Stadium/Landsdowne Road.

Despite Munster enjoying plenty of possession and territory in the opening half, it was home side Leinster who led the game 10-6 at half-time. 

This is how it feels to become a #BKTURC finalist #BKTURC #URC | #UnitedWeRise | #LEIvMUN pic.twitter.com/UdZofXG2kq

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) May 13, 2023

However, Munster hit back in the second half, producing a grandstand finish to seal a famous win.

LEINSTER RUGBY: Jimmy O’Brien, Tommy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Charlie Ngatai, Dave Kearney, Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath (Capt), Michael Milne, Rónan Kelleher, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ryan Baird, Jason Jenkins, Max Deegan, Will Connors, Jack Conan. Replacements: John McKee, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Nick McCarthy, Ciarán Frawley, Liam Turner.

Leinster 10-13 Munster: The pressure from Munster finally pays off and Tadhg Beirne bundles over to help them take the lead.

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— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) May 13, 2023

MUNSTER RUGBY: Mike Haley, Keith Earls, Antoine Frisch, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly, Ben Healy, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony (Capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O'Donoghue, Neil Cronin, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen.

REFEREE: Frank Murphy (IRFU)