MUNSTER WERE NEVER in danger of losing a record fourth game in a row at Thomond Park but they still had to dig deep to carve out victory over bottom of the table Zebre.
The basement side made Munster battle all the way for their win and a bonus point never really looked on the cards.
The sides were deadlocked at 7-7 apiece at the break after Munster failed to build on a bright start to the game, with the early pressure leading to a yellow card for Zebre centre Giulio Bertaccini for a deliberate knock-on in front of his own posts after less than three minutes.
Munster eventually made them pay, with Tom Farrell laying down an early marker to get them going wide and Shane Daly crowned his 100th league match by fending off challenges to score. JJ Hanrahan landed the conversion to make it 7-0 after seven minutes.
But while they continued to dominate on a difficult wet evening, they lacked precision and didn’t turn possession into scores against a fired-up Zebre side who have now lost ten league games in a row.
Zebre, with Argentine flanker Bautista Stavile leading the way, hit back at Munster and it took some good defending to keep the Italians at bay with props Michael Milne and Michael Ala’alatoa, along with No.8 Brian Gleeson, getting in some timely tackles to thwart the visitors in front of a crowd of just over 12,500.
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But Zebre deservedly got back on level terms eight minutes from the break with, appropriately, Stavile getting the touchdown after a strong bout of pressure.
Outhalf Giacomo Da Re converted to send them in level at the break.
Munster pressed after the restart but a try from scrumhalf Paddy Patterson was scratched on review when he knocked-on as he collected a grubber from Farrell before pivoting to score.
Munster went to the corner with a couple of penalties and they scored off the second one as they pounded the line with Gleeson, Edwin Edogbo and John Ryan going close before Alex Kendellen found a gap and got over. Hanrahan’s conversion made it 14-7 after 64 minutes.
They got their third try off a lineout on the right with replacement hooker Lee Barron finishing it and Hanrahan again supplying an excellent conversion from the wing.
But the bonus point try never looked like materialising and in the end Munster had to be content with their eighth win from a dozen league games this season.
Munster Scorers
Tries: S Daly, A Kendellen, L Barron.
Cons: JJ Hanrahan (3 from 3).
Zebre Scorers
Try: B Stavile.
Con: G Da Re.
Munster: Mike Haley (Seán O’Brien 58); Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson (Ethan Coughlan 61); Michael Milne (Josh Wycherley 57), Niall Scannell (Lee Barron 50), Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn (Edwin Edogbo 50-65, 73), Fineen Wycherley; Gavin Coombes (Alex Kendellen 46), Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson
Zebre Parma: Martin Roger Farias (Mirko Belloni 69); Albert Einstein Batista (Maro Zanon 56), Giulio Bertaccini, Damiano Mazza, Simone Gesi; Giacomo Da Re, Gonzalo Garcia (Thomas Dominguez 71); Juan Pitinari (Luca Franceschetto 69), Giampietro Ribaldi (Giovanni Quattrini 63), Enrique Pieretto (Paolo Buonfiglio 63); Matteo Canali, Alessandro Ortombina; Bautista Stavile, Samuele Locatelli (Iacopo Bianchi 71), Giacomo Ferrari (Guido Volpi 63).
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Munster produce strong second-half showing to shake off Zebre
Munster 21
Zebre 7
Kevin Egan reports at Thomond Park
MUNSTER WERE NEVER in danger of losing a record fourth game in a row at Thomond Park but they still had to dig deep to carve out victory over bottom of the table Zebre.
The basement side made Munster battle all the way for their win and a bonus point never really looked on the cards.
The sides were deadlocked at 7-7 apiece at the break after Munster failed to build on a bright start to the game, with the early pressure leading to a yellow card for Zebre centre Giulio Bertaccini for a deliberate knock-on in front of his own posts after less than three minutes.
Munster eventually made them pay, with Tom Farrell laying down an early marker to get them going wide and Shane Daly crowned his 100th league match by fending off challenges to score. JJ Hanrahan landed the conversion to make it 7-0 after seven minutes.
But while they continued to dominate on a difficult wet evening, they lacked precision and didn’t turn possession into scores against a fired-up Zebre side who have now lost ten league games in a row.
Zebre, with Argentine flanker Bautista Stavile leading the way, hit back at Munster and it took some good defending to keep the Italians at bay with props Michael Milne and Michael Ala’alatoa, along with No.8 Brian Gleeson, getting in some timely tackles to thwart the visitors in front of a crowd of just over 12,500.
But Zebre deservedly got back on level terms eight minutes from the break with, appropriately, Stavile getting the touchdown after a strong bout of pressure.
Outhalf Giacomo Da Re converted to send them in level at the break.
Munster pressed after the restart but a try from scrumhalf Paddy Patterson was scratched on review when he knocked-on as he collected a grubber from Farrell before pivoting to score.
Munster went to the corner with a couple of penalties and they scored off the second one as they pounded the line with Gleeson, Edwin Edogbo and John Ryan going close before Alex Kendellen found a gap and got over. Hanrahan’s conversion made it 14-7 after 64 minutes.
They got their third try off a lineout on the right with replacement hooker Lee Barron finishing it and Hanrahan again supplying an excellent conversion from the wing.
But the bonus point try never looked like materialising and in the end Munster had to be content with their eighth win from a dozen league games this season.
Munster Scorers
Tries: S Daly, A Kendellen, L Barron.
Cons: JJ Hanrahan (3 from 3).
Zebre Scorers
Try: B Stavile.
Con: G Da Re.
Munster: Mike Haley (Seán O’Brien 58); Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson (Ethan Coughlan 61); Michael Milne (Josh Wycherley 57), Niall Scannell (Lee Barron 50), Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn (Edwin Edogbo 50-65, 73), Fineen Wycherley; Gavin Coombes (Alex Kendellen 46), Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson
Zebre Parma: Martin Roger Farias (Mirko Belloni 69); Albert Einstein Batista (Maro Zanon 56), Giulio Bertaccini, Damiano Mazza, Simone Gesi; Giacomo Da Re, Gonzalo Garcia (Thomas Dominguez 71); Juan Pitinari (Luca Franceschetto 69), Giampietro Ribaldi (Giovanni Quattrini 63), Enrique Pieretto (Paolo Buonfiglio 63); Matteo Canali, Alessandro Ortombina; Bautista Stavile, Samuele Locatelli (Iacopo Bianchi 71), Giacomo Ferrari (Guido Volpi 63).
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
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