Munster picked up their third win in four games after an extremely tough GUINNESS PRO12 outing against Zebre in Parma this afternoon.
Mark Chisholm’s early try and 11 points from the boot of Ian Keatley ensured Munster left Italy with the win for the second week in a row, but Anthony Foley’s side were pushed all the way by a spirited Zebre side whose points all came from out-half Kelly Haimona.
Munster were very dominant in the opening stages and it came as no surprise when the Billy Holland-led visitors took the lead after just six minutes at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
By that stage they had spent considerable time in the Zebre 22 after a powerful shunt from the Munster scrum earned them a penalty off a Zebre put-in. A couple of mauls close to the try-line produced penalties, but on the third attempt the maul shifted well to the left and lock Chisholm dived over for his first Munster try, which was awarded after TMO Alan Falzone checked the grounding.
Keatley was on target with the conversion from the right touchline as Munster took a 7-0 lead, but the hosts responded well with a very strong 10-minute spell that saw them hit the front for the first time.
Firstly the Munster scrum was penalised for standing up on a Zebre put-in and Haimona, who has been included in Italy’s RBS 6 Nations squad, kicked his first penalty from the right after 13 minutes.
Three minutes later Munster were punished for being offside and Haimona found his range to make it 7-6, before the Italian international slotted his third penalty of the half in the 19th minute when Munster were penalised for not rolling away from the tackle.
But the province’s reply was strong and Keatley landed his second successful place-kick from the tee to give the men in red the lead after an Italian hand interfered at the breakdown.
The Italians brought some great form into this game and showed they would not be swept aside easily when just short of the half hour mark Haimona sent over his fourth penalty goal of the half after some good pressure in the Munster 22.
Seven minutes from the break their challenge took a blow when hooker Oliviero Fabiani was sin-binned for not using his arms in the tackle as Munster sought to build a rolling maul. And just before the interval, Keatley gave Munster the lead once more after a powerful carry from Niall Scannell forced the concession of a penalty.
The Munstermen held a 13-12 lead at the break and a one-man advantage for a further three minutes, but were unable to top up their lead.
Dave O’Callaghan was a halt-time replacement for Jack O’Donoghue but eight minutes after his introduction he was sent back to the sideline for ten minutes following a high tackle on Haimona.
With a man advantage, Zebre went in search of a lead score, but some good defensive work and solid lineouts on Zebre ball kept Munster in the lead.
A great cover tackle from Darren Sweetnam, who was making his first PRO12 start, denied Kayle van Zyl a certain try after 60 minutes as Munster continued to hold solid, while on the front foot the introduction of Duncan Williams brought a fresh zip to the play.
Holding a one-point advantage, Munster needed to add to that tally to be a little bit more comfortable, and after five minutes of incessant pressure, Keatley made it a four-point game with a coolly-struck drop goal.
Four minutes from time the Munster out-half missed narrowly to the right, but Foley’s charges easily closed out this round 13 fixture deep in Zebre territory to claim their eighth league victory of the season.
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