Dave Kearney shows Leinster’s young guns the way against Zebre

Zebre 31 Leinster 48

With qualification for the Pro14 final secured last week with two games to spare, Leinster fielded a young team against Zebre in Parma, although it was a hat-trick from veteran winger Dave Kearney that stole the night. Youth proved no problem with the visitors coasting through the first-half, Kearney securing the fourth try bonus point minutes before half-time.

Coach Leo Cullen, if he’s critical, will have a look at the number of penalties Leinster gave away in the first 40 minutes but they were never under pressure from Zebre, despite the home side taking a 6-0 lead with two kicks from Antonio Rizzi.

Leinster ran in nine tries when the sides met in Dublin earlier this season, winning 63-8, and they have not been beaten in Italy since losing to Benetton in September 2010. That streak continued with hooker Dan Sheehan stretching for the first try after nine minutes as Leinster took the lead.

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Good hands from Rory O’Loughlin put wing Cian Kelleher through for Leinster’s second, a man down with Alex Soroka in the bin, before Luke McGrath charged down Rizzi in the Italian 22 and followed up with a touchdown. Kearney took his first with a deft step after Leinster turned defence into attack just two minutes before the break for 12-31.

Gutsy but outclassed, Zebre were running the ball all the time in an occasionally chaotic but entertaining game. But they were hit by a second try from Sheehan on 53 minutes for 19-36 with Kearney’s second score coming on 55 minutes and his third on 65 minutes.

The game at that stage won, Leinster then eased off allowing the Italian side two late scores and a much better looking scoreboard for the home side, who walked away pleased enough with 31 points against the champions.

Scoring sequence - 2 mins A Rizzi pen 3-0; 6 mins A Rizzi pen 6-0; 9 mins D Sheehan try, H Byrne con 6-7; 14 mins H Byrne pen 6-10; 20 mins A Rizzi pen 9-10; 27 mins C Kelleher try, Byrne con 9-17; 32 mins A Rizzi pen 12-17; 34 mins L McGrath try, Byrne con 12-24; 38 mins D Kearney try, Byrne con 12-31. Halftime. 46 mins Giovanni D'Onofrio try, Rizzi con19-31; 53 mins Sheehan try 19-36; 55 mins Kearney try, H O'Sullivan con 19-43; 65 mins Kearney try 19-48; 74 mins E Bello try, Rizzi con26-48; 82 mins N Taddia try 31-48.

ZEBRE: G Di Giulio; P Bruno, J Elliott, Enrico Lucchin, G D'Onofrio; A Rizzi, J Renton; P Buonfiglio, M Ceciliani, M Nocera, M Kearney, I Nagle, I Bianchi, P Junior Leavasa, R Giammarioli. Replacements: 39 mins G Palazzani for Elliott; 40 mins Elliott for Palazzani; 55 mins Palazzani for D'Onofrio, A Tarus for Nocera; 57 mins Krumov for Nagle, Ortis for Bianchi; 60 mins Taddia for Ceciliani; 62 mins Casilo for Renton; 65 mins Bello for Buongiglio .

LEINSTER: M O'Reilly; C Kelleher, J O'Brien, R O'Loughlin, D Kearney; H Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); P Dooley, D Sheehan, T Clarkson, R Molony, J Dunne, J Murphy, S Penny, A Soroka. Replacements: S O'Brien for Penny 41 mins; Penny for O'Brien 43 mins; 44 mins H O'Sullivan for McGrath; 48 min O'Brien for Soroka; 52 mins J Osborne for O'Brien; 55 mins M Bent for Clarkson, J Tracy for Sheehan, M Hanan for Dooley; 65 mins D Toner for Molony, T Corkery for Byrne.

Referee: M Mitrea (FIR)