Pro12: Munster 50-27 Dragons

Ireland captain Paul O'Connell scores Munster's fifth try against the Dragons

Munster ran riot with eight tries against the Dragons to set up a home Pro12 semi-final against the Ospreys.

Conor Murray scored two of his three tries in the first half with Andrew Smith, CJ Stander and Paul O'Connell putting Munster 33-10 ahead the break.

Ashton Hewitt had Dragons only first-half try with Tyler Morgan, Rhys Buckley and Jack Dixon also crossing.

Keith Earls and Ronan O'Mahony added second-half tries as Munster secured a vital home semi-final at Thomond Park.

Munster started the final round of games in third place but secured a top-two position with a flurry of early tries.

They had the bonus point wrapped up after 23 minutes when Conor Murray scored from close-range for his second, and Munster's fourth, try.

Jason Tovey nailed a second-minute penalty for the visitors, and Munster responded immediately with Australian centre Andrew Smith running in untouched for the first of the game's 12 tries after three minutes.

Munster's Billy Holland wrestles Dragons' Brok Harris to the ground in their Pro12 tie in Cork

The scores continued to flow with Ashton Hewitt putting the Dragons in front with a try after four minutes, which Tovey converted as the visitors led 10-7.

Munster back-rower CJ Stander scored the game's third try after just eight minutes and from that point, Munster took complete control.

Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray scored two tries in a seven-minute spell, his first coming after a pick and go from a Munster ruck close to the line.

Dragons' lost Hugh Gustafon to a sin-binning after 19 minutes and Munster capitalised with Murray crossing for the second time in the 23rd minute. Ian Keatley added the extras for his fourth conversion of the half.

Irish rugby legend received the biggest cheer of the day in Musgrave when he landed the province's fifth try in first-half stoppage time to lead Munster leading 33-10 at half time.

Ireland wing Keith Earls and Dargons' Tyler Morgan scored after the interval and despite losing Paddy Butler to the sin-bin, Munster scored again with Murray grabbing his hat-trick try after 64 minutes.

Rhys Buckley and Jack Dixon added late tries for the Dragons, who started and ended the day in ninth place.

TEAMS

Munster: F Jones; K Earls, A Smith, D Hurley (capt), R O'Mahony; I Keatley, C Murray; J Ryan, E Guinazu, BJ Botha; B Holland, P O'Connell; D Ryan, P Butler, CJ Stander.

Replacements: D Kilcoyne for J Ryan (51), N Scannell for Guinazu (51), JJ Hanrahan for Keatley (54), A Conway for Earls (65), S Archer for Botha (65), D Williams for Murray (67), S Dougall for O'Connell (68), J O'Donoghue for Stander (68).

Newport Gwent Dragons: J Tovey; T Prydie, T Morgan, A Hewitt, H Amos; D Jones, J Evans; B Stankovich, H Gustafson, B Harris; C Hill, R Landman (capt); N Crosswell, N Cudd, T Faletau.

Replacements: R Rees for Evans (51), M Screech for Hill (54), R Buckley for Gustafon (63), B Nightingale for Morgan (63), J Benjamin for Crosswell (67), G Rhys Jones for Tovey (70).

Not used: P Price, L Fairbrother.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)