Munster kept their GUINNESS PRO12 play-off ambitions on track with a hardfought 16-12 win over Zebre at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

Lying in fifth coming into the game, Munster were playing their first league match since early January, and showed all their experience to grind out the win.

In foggy conditions at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, it was the visitors who led narrowly at half-time, 13-12, thanks to a converted try from Mark Chisholm and two Ian Keatley penalties.

Zebre stayed in it though, largely thanks to the efforts of fly-half Kelly Haimona, who knocked over four first-half penalties.

But a drop goal from Keatley after the break proved enough to stretch Munster clear and they saw out the remainder of the game.

Munster got off to the perfect start when second row Chisholm was able to work his way over after a powerful rolling maul, with the TMO deeming that he had got the ball down.

Keatley converted to make it 7-0, but Zebre responded through a penalty from fly-half Haimona after a good scrum.

They cut the deficit to a point when Munster were caught offside, with Haimona slotting his second penalty of the afternoon from inside the 22.

Midway through the half Zebre took the lead for the first time, with Haimona knocking over his third penalty of the game but that was quickly cancelled out by Keatley.

A good break from flanker Johan Meyer got Zebre deep into the Munster 22, but the visitors got back just in time to force a scrum. That held but a penalty at the next breakdown allowed Haimona to put the Italian side back in front, 12-10.

Zebre then lost hooker Oliviero Fabiani to a yellow card, and Keatley took advantage with three points to give Munster a narrow lead at the break.

Dave O’Callaghan came on at half-time for Munster, but was quickly off again after picking up a yellow card for a high tackle.

It didn’t prove costly though, with Zebre failing to take advantage of their extra man during a ten-minute spell.
Haimona had missed the penalty that followed the O’Callaghan card, but Keatley returned the favour when his effort just after the hour fell short.

Still, Munster were winning the territory battle, and turned another shot at three points with 12 minutes to go, instead kicking for the corner.

The Zebre defence was resolute though and Munster found themselves further and further back. Eventually Keatley took matters into his own hands with a crucial drop goal to make it 16-12 with eight minutes to go.

He could have eased the tension even more with five minutes to go when Zebre were slow to roll away from a ruck, but the Munster fly-half pulled his effort wide.

The problem for Zebre was that they couldn’t get their hands on the ball, and on those occasions when they did manage it, handling errors cost them.

A scrum penalty allowed Munster to kick into Zebre territory in the dying seconds and they did the necessary to seal the win.

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