Imperfect Munster rally to squeeze past Zebre Parma
Alessandro Ortombina of Zebre Parma and Fineen Wycherley of Munster compete for a line-out. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
Munster overcame an imperfect showing with a late brace of tries to defeat Zebre Parma 21-7 in Thomond Park on Saturday night.
On URC ‘Origin Week’, it was the homegrown heroes to the fore for the men in red. Cork’s Shane Daly and Alex Kendellen popped up with tries, as well as Lee Barron late on, while JJ Hanrahan kicked six points from the tee.
Over 12,500 fans arrived expecting a victory and got it, as Munster’s first win in Limerick since October sees them move back inside the top four of the league table for the time being at least. However it will feel like one point dropped considering the spirited Italians are rooted to the bottom of the table.
The majority of early territorial pressure came from Clayton McMillan’s men. Tom Farrell’s superb 50/22 resulted in an early Giulio Bertaccini yellow card, before the hosts drew first blood.
Former Highfield and PBC winger Shane Daly raced clear to finish an excellent first-phase move, which Castleisland’s JJ Hanrahan duly converted.
Munster almost struck for a second try of the night, before Zebre returned to a full complement, but Jack O’Donoghue failed to regather Mike Haley’s bouncing grubber kick.
The greasy ball would prove to be an attacking enemy for both sides on this wet February night.
A full twenty-six minutes had elapsed before we saw another score with the Italians getting off the mark. Samuele Locatelli’s initial break took advantage of a porous defensive line, before flanker Bautista Stavile dotted down under the posts.
Much to the frustration of the home crowd, they would not find a killer score before half time. More poor handling in key moments let the hosts down, meaning both teams headed into the sheds deadlocked at 7-7.
Munster needed an early spark to ignite their second half, and they almost got it before the TMO overruled. Paddy Patterson was correctly adjudged to have spilled the ball forward as he looked to finish off an excellent counter-attacking move.
Akin to his Ireland debut in Dublin, Edwin Edogbo’s introduction from the bench provided a rare moment of noise from the terraces, as Munster looked to his powerful frame.
More chances went abegging as the second forty followed the first. First, a sharp Calvin Nash break was undone, before a five-metre lineout maul play was halted by a forward pass as the opportunities slipped by.
Their next red zone entry would not be squandered however, as Munster wrestled control heading into the final quarter through Alex Kendellen.
JJ Hanrahan’s excellent touch finder again left them with just a handful of metres to go, and unlike previous efforts, it was kept tight before another former PBC man came up with the goods.
With the game begging to be chased down, it opened up in the final stages, suiting the home side and their momentum.
More Zebre ill discipline cost them valuable field position, with Hanrahan applying the pressure with pristine kicking. With it, try number three soon followed.
The rolling maul became a weapon, with hooker Lee Barron the man to get the try in the right corner. Hanrahan again was successful with the extras but the bonus point alluded them in the final stages, where Bautista Stavile went closest but he too fumbled with the line at his mercy.
Munster now face another fortnight off to allow for the culmination of the Six Nations before facing into a two game tour of South Africa where they will face the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks.
M Haley (S O’Brien, 58); C Nash, T Farrell, D Kelly, S Daly; JJ Hanrahan, P Patterson (E Coughlan, 60); M Milne (J Wycherley, 56), N Scannell (L Barron, 50), M Ala’alatoa (J Ryan, 60); J Kleyn (E Edogbo, 50 (J Kleyn, 64-71 (Blood sub)), F Wycherley; G Coombes (A Kendellen, 46), J O’Donoghue (capt), B Gleeson.
M Roger Farias (M Belloni, 68), A Batista (M Zanon, 55), G Bertaccini, D Mazza, S Gesi; G Da Re, G Garcia (T Dominguez, 72); J Pitinari (P Buonfiglio, 61), G Ribaldi (G Quattrini, 61), E Pieretto (L Franceschetto, 68); M Canali, A Ortombina; B. Stavile, S Locatelli (I Bianchi, 70), G Ferrari (capt) (G Volpi, 60).
Mike Adamson.
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