Simon Zebo created the crucial try in his last game for Munster at Thomond Park to help see off Edinburgh 20-16 and set up a Guinness PRO14 semi-final against Leinster.

Munster were far from their best but got the job done thanks to JJ Hanrahan's 72nd-minute penalty.

Rhys Marshall's well-finished eighth minute score was the only try of a fitful first half, with Edinburgh playing the better rugby and two Sam Hidalgo-Clyne penalties left them just 7-6 behind at the break.

The Racing 92-bound Zebo provided the individual brilliance to play in Keith Earls for a much-needed 42nd-minute try. Hanrahan's boot extended the lead to 17-6, before Hidalgo-Clyne's third penalty and Nathan Fowles' cracking 58th-minute try had the gap down to one again.

Hanrahan's well-struck penalty gave Munster a four-point cushion but Edinburgh pressurised them right to the final play, the home side needing a lineout steal by captain Peter O'Mahony to end the Scots' hopes.

Richard Cockerill's side arrived in sunny Limerick buoyed by a record 15 league victories, qualification for the Champions Cup, and last week's recapturing of the 1872 Cup against Glasgow Warriors. Jamie Ritchie's late withdrawal due to injury brought Lewis Carmichael into their back row.

Edinburgh fell behind when skipper Stuart McInally's overthrown lineout in his 22 allowed his opposite number Marshall to neatly step inside Hidalgo-Clyne and power over for the opening try, converted with aplomb by Hanrahan.

Duhan van der Merwe and Bill Mata's powerful running began to cause problems for Munster, and Mark Bennett threatened a try before Simon Berghan knocked on close to the posts.

James Cronin coughed up a cheap penalty which Hidalgo-Clyne turned into three points, and the Munster prop infringed again as the Edinburgh scrum-half reduced the margin to the minimum in the 24th minute.

Munster's replacement tighthead prop Ciaran Parker won a scrum penalty which Hanrahan pushed wide of the target, with the hosts' overuse of the boot in general play allowing the Scots to have the lion's share of possession.

More loose kicking and missed tackles from Munster invited their opponents forward and full-back Blair Kinghorn countered from deep before an important tackle by Earls and a turnover from Cronin halted Edinburgh's progress.

It was Earls who benefited from some timely magic from Zebo who collected his own chip in midfield and sprayed a sublime pass off his left for the onrushing winger to gather and turn into a try in the corner. Hanrahan's conversion and subsequent penalty suddenly made it 17-6.

But Cockerill's men were back within a point by the hour mark, Hidalgo-Clyne landing his third successful penalty and a poor kick from full-back Zebo eventually leading to Fowles touching down, following some terrific running by both Mata and Kinghorn.

The conversion from Jaco van der Walt teed up a gripping and defence-dominated final quarter, Edinburgh holding onto the momentum but unable to force another opening.

The Scots thought they had the edge in the scrum, however they lost ground through set piece offences and knock-ons, and a lineout infringement allowed Hanrahan to land the match winner from Edinburgh's 10-metre line.