Ulster head coach Richie Murphy admitted his side are "bitterly disappointed" after a 26-22 defeat to Glasgow Warriors dashed their hopes of securing a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship.
The loss leaves Ulster's playoff fate out of their own hands. They currently sit eighth, but Munster need just one point from their match against the Lions on Saturday to leapfrog them into the postseason.
Murphy's team can still secure Champions Cup rugby next season by beating Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final in Bilbao on May 22. That match offers Ulster a chance to end a 20-year trophy drought.
"We're bitterly disappointed. Our target was to make the top eight and we've failed in that regard," Murphy said. "But we have an opportunity to get back into Europe through the cup final. Our full focus is now on preparing for that."
Murphy also highlighted the difficulty of managing a squad hit by injuries and suspensions, including key absentees like Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, and Iain Henderson. He noted that the relentless schedule has left his players fatigued, with little time for recovery compared to rivals who had off weeks.
"It's been massively difficult. We've played every week for ten weeks with no break," Murphy added. "Our training has been limited to one session and a captain's run. Balancing freshness and competitiveness has been a huge challenge."
Ulster will now turn their attention to the Challenge Cup final, hoping to salvage their season with a European trophy.