Keatley inspires as Munster get season going

Treviso 10 Munster 21

Munster coach Anthony Foley was delighted that the losing run of three PRO12 losses, and their first win on Treviso soil in 3 matches, was closed out in clinical style by a much improved performance by Ian Keatley.

Other major positives were a better physical approach in defence and at the breakdown; and a very useful shift in collisions by the new backrow combination of CJ Stander, Tommy O’Donnell and Robin Copeland, on his debut.

Unusual heavy showers earlier made the ball difficult to hold throughout the game. Munster started brightly and Ian Keatley kicked a 35-metre penalty after two minutes from a Treviso offside.

Munster attacked out wide on the right from the restart and Andrew Conway scythed through the cover from a blind inside pass by Duncan Williams to head towards the posts only to be dragged down at the pads. A crooked feed let the homeside off the hook and Treviso built up momentum from a series of solid scrums which yielded good field position.

On 17 minutes, a clever over the top ball on a Treviso line out set winger Ludovico Nitoglia through on the inside where he was just hauled down at the Munster five-metre line. A quick clean out and two lengthy passes to the left saw Treviso fullback Simone Ragusi slide in unopposed from a gaping overlap. Outhalf Joe Carlisle added the conversion and it was game on.

Munster set about their task with precision and a series of line breaks by centres Smith and Dineen saw Munster gain valuable ground that led to a Munster put in on the Treviso five-metre line. When the frontrows folded, it was a simple tap over for Keatley on 24 minutes.

Patient build up by Munster stretched the Treviso defence with their next possession and Duncan Williams and Keatley again burst through to set up the Munster pack with a great platform. The pack performed with pick and drives which rolled right from the 22-metre line to the goal line and CJ Stander again found the try line to restore Munster’s lead. Keatley added the conversion to leave Munster 13-7 up at the interval.

The expected Treviso backlash commenced with the second half kick off but two penalty opportunities for Carlisle were short, then wide, so Munster were relieved to move upfield.

Tommy O’Donnell found a gap in the cover to set up a quick ruck which Keatley maximised by a long kick into the Treviso 22 and the pressure was back on the home side.

The ensuing lineout wasn’t cleared properly and clean hands saw a spritely Simon Zebo burst through two tackles to touch down wide on the left. Keatley’s conversion was short but Munster had stretched out further.

An arm wrestle ensued but with both sides guilty of handling errors they returned the ball back to the opposition. A lineout infringement finally saw Treviso go closer when Carlisle kicked a penalty on 63 minutes. With 15 to go and 18-10 up, the hundred or so Munster fans who made the journey were beginning to worry.

Step up Keatley and this week his long range penalty, from just inside the Treviso half, cleared the crossbar to end the Treviso fight for the losing bonus point.

A last gasp Treviso hack up the field was cleared by winning captain Felix Jones and Munster’s season was up and running.

Treviso: S Ragusi, L Nitoglia, L Morisi, S Christie, M Campagnaro, J Carlisle, H Seniloli,, M Muccignat, D Giazzon, R Harden, M Fuser, C Van Zyl (capt), M Swanepoel, T Vallejos Cinalli, M Luamanu. Replacements: J Maistri, M Zanusso (for Muccignat 71), S Manu (for Harden 52), M Lazzaroni (for Luamanu 60), M Barbini (for Swanepoel 32), A Sgarti, A Esposito (for Ragusi 52), J Ambrosini (for Seniloli 60) .

Munster: F Jones (capt), A Conway, A Smith, I Dineen, S Zebo, I Keatley, D Williams, J Cronin, D Casey, S Archer, D Foley, B Holland, CJ Stander, T O'Donnell, R Copeland. Replacements: K O'Byrne (for Casey 77), J Ryan (for Cronin 73), BJ Botha (for Archer 56), D O'Callaghan (for Foley 74), S Dougall (for O'Donnell 74), C Sheridan (for Williams 65) , J Holland, R O'Mahony.

Referee: A McMenemy (SRU)