Shock win for Zebre Parma as Munster are humbled
- Updated: 28/09/2024
Zebre Parma 41, Munster 33.
LEADING 15 to 28 at half time, Munster fans could have been forbidden for thinking that the result of this BKT URC second round game was already heading towards a second victory. Zebre had different ideas and they ran out deserving winners. It was also the first time that the Italian club had beaten the Irish province in twenty meetings and there was no doubt at the finish that the home side fully deserved their shock victory.
Maybe the Munster players thought that all they had to do in the second half was to add to the tries that Haley and Fitzgerald scored in the latter stages of the first half to keep themselves clear in that second half. It turned out that the more the game went on, the realisation that this was to be the first time that Munster have lost to Zebre, was getting nearer and nearer. Looking back to the early stages of this game there were sloppy moments emerging and the rival pack were getting the better of the set-pieces and in the tight.
Munster lost Shane Daly after six minutes and it was the home side who got first blood, out-half Giovanni Montemauri kicking a close-in penalty. The visitors strugged to get decent footing in the Zebre 22 but on 15 minutes Munster went ahead, Gavin Coombes grounding the ball and Tony Butler adding the extras. Zebre responded with a try by Jacopo Trulla to make it 8-7. The expected response from Munster did not arrive and it was the Italians who notched the next score, Alessandro Fusco racing through to score and scrum-half Alessandro Fusco converting. The visitors made a swift reply with Coombes getting his second try and Butler’s conversion saw the scoreboard read 15-14 for Zebre. The scores continued at Stadio Lanfranchi with Ruain Quin sending Mike Haley haring over followed by a first try for Bryan Fitzgerald,converted by Butler, to send the sides in with Munster leading 15-28.
The second half had only started when Zebre scored again, Jacopo Trulla out-foxing the red shirts to reduce the lead to 20-28 and the home supporters wereontheir feet when Giovanni Licata finished off a drive from the home pack to leaave just onen point between the teams with 53 minutes played. Most of the rest of the game belonged to the home side and they went six points ahead when Alessandro Fusco got his second try, converted by Giovanni Montemauri to send Zebre six points ahead at 34-28. Home full back Geronimo Prisciantelli piled further pressure on Munsteer when he sliced through a weak defence, the conversion bringing the lead to 39-28. Conor Murray then set up Shane McCarthy for a try but the conversion was missed by Butler. In a flurry of excitement Zeber forced a penalty with the clock in the red, Giovanni Montemauri’s kick denying Munster of a bonus point.After the game it was Zebre head Coach Massimo Brunello who had all the smiles.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU, AR 1: Andrea Piardi (FIR) AR 2: Alex Frasson (FIR) TMO: Neil Hennessy (WRU)
Zebre Parma: Geronimo Prisciantelli, Jacopo Trulla, Giulio Bertaccini, Luca Morisi,Simone Gesi, Giovanni Montemauri, Alessandro Fusco, Danilo Fischetti (CAPT), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Matteo Nocera, Matteo Canali, Leonard Krumov, Davide Ruggeri, Samuele Locatelli, Giovanni Licata
Replacements: Giampietro Ribaldi, Luca Rizzoli, Juan Pitinari, Andrea Zambonin, Giacomo Ferrari, Patricio Baronio, Scott Gregory, Giacomo Da Re
Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Shane Daly, Tom Farrell, Thaakir Abrahams; Tony Butler, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron (CAPT), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhán Quinn, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jack Daly, Jack O’Donoghue, Conor Murray, Bryan Fitzgerald, Shay McCarthy
You must be logged in to post a comment Login