Munster keep up home run, Warriors beat Scarlets

It was a first half to forget for Rob Penney's men at Thomond Park, the only saving grace being Keith Earls' 37th-minute try which put them 7-3 ahead at half-time.

The performances of Johne Murphy and man-of-the-match Felix Jones stood out in a dour encounter that was decided by James Downey's second successive try for the Irish province.

Downey scored while Treviso hooker Giovanni Maistri was in the sin-bin and a heavy rain shower spoiled any hope of further tries in the final quarter.

The result saw Munster get back to winning ways ahead of next weekend's crunch Aviva Stadium clash with leaders Leinster.

Treviso managed to beat Munster at home earlier in the season and they took a third minute lead here thanks to a 35-metre penalty from Mat Berquist.

Ireland captain Paul O'Connell was pulled out of the hosts' line-up before kick-off due to a 'slight shoulder niggle', although he did appear on the pitch at half-time with the Six Nations trophy.

Italian international Angelo Esposito was prominent during Treviso's promising start and the visitors held onto their lead as JJ Hanrahan pulled a 20th minute penalty wide.

Misfiring Munster threatened the try-line for the first time when Casey Laulala kicked through for fit-again winger Earls, who was making his first appearance since January - but Esposito was alive to the danger.

Hanrahan uncharacteristically sent a second kickable penalty to the left and wide after Manoa Vosawai collapsed a maul.

Berquist slid a long range penalty wide before Munster conjured up a timely opening try. Out-half Hanrahan broke through the middle and he fed Earls for a smart finish past the covering Ludovico Nitoglia.

Treviso felt Hanrahan's pass had gone forward but television match official Dermot Moloney and referee Leighton Hodges ruled otherwise, and Hanrahan converted for a four-point advantage.

A second missed penalty from Berquist added to the Italians' frustration and Munster restarted with the bit between their teeth, winger Murphy just being held up after a frantic spell of attacking.

Munster also upped the ante in the scrum, winning a series of penalties in the Treviso 22, and the pressure told when repeated early pushing led to Maistri being yellow carded.

Back-pedalling Treviso somehow won a relieving penalty at the next scrum and then Earls knocked on as Laulala attempted to put him over in the right corner.

But the hosts moved 14-3 clear when Hanrahan passed for big centre Downey to duck under Christian Loamanu's challenge and score by the left corner flag. The increasingly influential Hanrahan then nailed his most difficult kick of the night from the touchline.

Treviso blundered in their attempts to respond as Michele Campagnaro knocked on in a promising position and Berquist's touchfinder from a penalty went out on the full.

Munster were relatively untroubled as they saw out the win, with head coach Penney already stoking the fires for next Saturday's interprovincial showdown by suggesting it is Munster against 'the Six Nations champs' - given the number of Leinster players selected by Joe Schmidt during Ireland's successful campaign.

Glasgow claimed a hard-fought 14-6 win over Scarlets in the evening's other game.

At the start of a critical period for Glasgow's hopes of finishing in the league's top four and qualifying for the play-offs, the Warriors were tested by their Welsh opponents despite their domination of possession and territory.

By contrast the result was a blow for the visitors, who were coming off a run of three wins in four starts that had awakened their own hopes of a top four place

Glasgow, who led 11-3 at the break, scored the only try of the night in the 31st minute, when livewire winger Nikola Matawalu crossed, with Duncan Weir adding three penalties.

Scarlets had little possession to engineer much in the way of attacks but defended securely with their points coming from a brace of Olly Barkley penalties.

Glasgow dominated possession from the start and when referee Alain Rolland detected a high tackle on centre Alex Dunbar in the eighth minute, stand-off Weir opened the scoring.

Glasgow made nothing of further possession particularly when they chose to put a penalty into touch on the visitors' line but midway through the half, Scarlets were penalised for off-side, and Weir kicked the simple penalty.

Six minutes later, veteran hooker Doug Hall's throw was not straight on the first time Scarlets produced a position close to the Glasgow line.

Glasgow were then penalised at the subsequent scrum and Barkley opened the visitors' account.

Glasgow returned to the attack, helped by Rolland continuing to penalise Scarlets at the tackle, and Matawalu touched down.

Again, Glasgow had turned down a chance to kick for the posts, and the subsequent line out drive had sent Rolland to the television match official.

The verdict was no try, but from the subsequent scrum, Matawlu, who despite being listed as a winger was popping up all along the back line, took the pass from scrum-half Chris Cusiter at pace and cut through to score from 10 metres.

Weir's conversion attempt slipped wide, so Glasgow went in at half-time deservedly leading 11-3.

Within the first 10 minutes of the restart Weir and Barkley had exchanged penalties.

Soon after Scarlets had replaced their complete front row, their scrum was penalised but Glasgow's substitute centre Mark Bennett failed with the long range penalty attempt.

As the final quarter began, Glasgow produced a prolonged period of scintillating passing and off-loading.

However Scarlets stoutly rebuffed the siege of their line which ended with Glasgow penalised at a close-in scrum.

Glasgow continued to press in the closing stages and Scarlets were in debt to right winger Kristian Phillips who got back to deal with a dangerous kick to his line.

With three minutes left on the clock, Scarlets had the chance to claim a bonus point but Aled Thomas' penalty went wide.