Munster Rugby 9 Exeter Chiefs 7

Fly-half Joey Carbery kicked all nine points to lead Munster to a compelling home victory over Exeter and send the Limerick-based club into the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals for the 18th time.

The success at Thomond Park meant that the Irish province topped Pool 2 and were the sole qualifiers from the group for the last eight.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was ferocious from the very start and it was Carbery who scored the first points of the evening with a successful penalty in the sixth minute.

Exeter forced their way back into the contest with the only try of the match, their trademark line-out maul seeing back-rower Don Armand dot down for a score which Joe Simmonds converted.

Ireland international Carbery then reduced the deficit to 7-6 before the break as Munster’s defence remained resolute, with Heineken Man of the Match Tadhg Beirne a stand-out performer.

The second half was as gritty as the first, with both teams producing mammoth defensive efforts and ensuring no opponent penetrated their lines.

However, it was Carbery once again, a week on from his 26-point masterclass in Gloucester, who put his side into what proved to be a decisive lead by calmly slotting a penalty in the 75th minute.

Exeter, now needing two scores to progress from the group, were unable to respond as Munster held on for a memorable victory.

With Munster Rugby due to face Exeter Chiefs in the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 next month, we look back at the 2018/19 Pool 2 decider, which saw the two sides go head-to-head in a Round 6 thriller at Thomond Park...