LEINSTER SECURED WHAT was ultimately a comfortable 20-3 win away to Zebre in the Guinness Pro12 today.
However, it was far from straightforward in the first half in a cagey and scrappy opening few minutes.
Zebre did not suffer unduly after Marco Bortolami received an early yellow card, with a penalty from fly-half Luciano Orquera giving the hosts a 3-0 lead after 25 minutes.
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And it stayed 3-0 for the majority of the first-half, with Leinster left frustrated, as an Ian Madigan penalty hit the post.
However, Madigan atoned for his previous miss shortly thereafter, as he struck over a penalty on the brink of half-time to bring the visitors level going in at the break.
Leinster stepped up their intensity in the second half however, with Madigan running in under the posts after excellent work by Darragh Fanning in the build-up.
Following a raft of substitutions, Luke McGrath crossed over the line to virtually ensure a Leinster victory on 68 minutes, after a great break by Jimmy Gopperth.
Gopperth then converted McGrath’s try, as Leinster strolled to a 17-point win.
Zebre scorers
Penalty: Orquera.
Leinster scorers
Tries: Madigan, McGrath.
Conversions: Madigan [2].
Penalties: Cons: Madigan, Gopperth.
ZEBRE: D Odiete; G Toniolatti, T Iannone (K Haimona ’50), G Garcia, L Sarto; L Orquera (E Padovani ’72), G Palazzani; M Aguero (A Lovotti ’62), A Manici (O Fabiani ’53), D Chistolini (L Leibson ’50), Q Geldenhuys (A Ferreira ’69), M Bortolami (G Biagi ’50); M Bergamasco, F Cristiano (V Bernabo ’40), S Vunisa.
LEINSTER: R Kearney; Z Kirchner (M McGrath ’71), G D’Arcy (J Gopperth ’65), N Reid, D Fanning; I Madigan, I Boss (L McGrath ’62); J McGrath (E Byrne ’69), R Strauss (B Byrne ’60), M Moore (M Bent ’14); M McCarthy, K Douglas (D Toner ’56); R Ruddock (J Heaslip ’62), J van der Flier, J Conan.
Second-half improvement sees Leinster outclass Zebre
Updated at 18.31
Zebre 3
Leinster 20
LEINSTER SECURED WHAT was ultimately a comfortable 20-3 win away to Zebre in the Guinness Pro12 today.
However, it was far from straightforward in the first half in a cagey and scrappy opening few minutes.
Zebre did not suffer unduly after Marco Bortolami received an early yellow card, with a penalty from fly-half Luciano Orquera giving the hosts a 3-0 lead after 25 minutes.
And it stayed 3-0 for the majority of the first-half, with Leinster left frustrated, as an Ian Madigan penalty hit the post.
However, Madigan atoned for his previous miss shortly thereafter, as he struck over a penalty on the brink of half-time to bring the visitors level going in at the break.
Leinster stepped up their intensity in the second half however, with Madigan running in under the posts after excellent work by Darragh Fanning in the build-up.
Following a raft of substitutions, Luke McGrath crossed over the line to virtually ensure a Leinster victory on 68 minutes, after a great break by Jimmy Gopperth.
Gopperth then converted McGrath’s try, as Leinster strolled to a 17-point win.
ZEBRE: D Odiete; G Toniolatti, T Iannone (K Haimona ’50), G Garcia, L Sarto; L Orquera (E Padovani ’72), G Palazzani; M Aguero (A Lovotti ’62), A Manici (O Fabiani ’53), D Chistolini (L Leibson ’50), Q Geldenhuys (A Ferreira ’69), M Bortolami (G Biagi ’50); M Bergamasco, F Cristiano (V Bernabo ’40), S Vunisa.
LEINSTER: R Kearney; Z Kirchner (M McGrath ’71), G D’Arcy (J Gopperth ’65), N Reid, D Fanning; I Madigan, I Boss (L McGrath ’62); J McGrath (E Byrne ’69), R Strauss (B Byrne ’60), M Moore (M Bent ’14); M McCarthy, K Douglas (D Toner ’56); R Ruddock (J Heaslip ’62), J van der Flier, J Conan.
Replacement not used: T Furlong.
Referee: Neil Paterson [SRU]
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All-Ireland Senior HC Guinness PRO12 easy Leinster Match Report outclass second half Zebre