Munster back on track

Munster overcame a slow start to revive their Heineken Cup campaign with a 41-10 victory over Treviso.

Having lost to Northampton in their opening Pool One fixture, the Irish province knew they could not afford another slip-up.

Treviso looked capable of building on their shock win over Perpignan last week when tries from Brendan Williams and Andrew Vilk gave them a 10-0 lead after 25 minutes at Thomond Park.

But Paul Warwick's score for Munster in the 29th minute was the start of a run of 41 unanswered points for the 2006 and 2008 European champions.

Ian Dowling added a second for the home side just before half-time and it was one-way traffic after the interval as Denis Leamy, Denis Fogarty, David Wallace, Dowling and Jean de Villiers each added a further try to take Munster's final tally to seven.

Treviso double

Marius Goosen was off target with an early penalty opportunity but Treviso, aided by their dominance of the scrum, enjoyed the better of the early exchanges.

Munster winger Doug Howlett had already produced one try-saving tackle when Treviso broke through for the opening score.

The Italians moved the ball wide from a five-metre scrum and winger Williams took advantage of a mis-match in the defensive line against prop Marcus Horan to cruise over.

Goosen failed with the conversion but Treviso continued to force the pace and, on 24 minutes, doubled their advantage.

Winger Vilk outpaced the Munster defence to get his hands to Williams' chip ahead, slipped Lifeimi Mafi's tackle and then maintained control while sliding over the line - although again the conversion went begging to leave the visitors 10-0 up.

Munster's response was immediate with two tries before the break turning the match around.

Full-back Warwick entered the line out wide and rounded Treviso hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini for a simple finish.

Ronan O'Gara added the extras to reduce the hosts' deficit to three points and they were back in credit when Dowling went in for their second try just before the break.

Dowling, who had only come on four minutes earlier when Howlett suffered a hamstring injury, collected Warwick's chip over the onrushing defence and managed to ground the ball despite an anxious moment as he juggled with possession.

The video referee confirmed the score after a lengthy deliberation and, although O'Gara missed the conversion, Munster went in for the break 12-10 in front.

Bonus point

And, with a strengthening wind now at their backs, Munster added two more tries in the first eight minutes of the second half to earn the four-try bonus point.

Number eight Leamy crashed over from close range in the 46th minute and hooker Fogarty followed in the 53rd minute after the effervescent Warwick entered the line late and opened up the defence with an inside ball.

O'Gara failed to land either conversion but it mattered little as Munster proceeded to dominate the final half-hour against an increasingley frayed defensive effort from the visitors.

Openside flanker Wallace was on hand to finish off after a searing break and inside step from Keith Earls, although Paul O'Connell was fortunate to get away with a knock-on prior to Donncha O'Callaghan's scoring pass.

And Dowling bagged his second in the 67th minute before Springboks centre De Villiers, making his first appearance at Thomond Park, touched down for Munster's seventh try to put the seal on an ultimately convincing triumph.