Pro14 quarter-final: Hanrahan kicks Munster to 15-13 comeback win over Benetton

Munster centre Chris Farrell is tackled by Tommaso Allan and Marco Zanon

A late long-range JJ Hanrahan penalty gave Munster a dramatic 15-13 comeback win over Benetton in the Pro14 quarter-final against Benetton at Thomond Park.

The hosts trailed 13-6 on the hour mark but three penalties from replacement Hanrahan saw them book a semi-final with Leinster at the RDS on 18 May.

Wing Ratuva Tavuyara scored the only try in the first half as Benetton went close to causing a major upset.

Tommaso Allan kicked eight points while Tyler Bleyendaal landed two penalties.

Leinster beat Munster 16-15 when the Irish provinces met at the semi-final stage of the Pro14 last season.

Having finished second in Conference A, and with home advantage, Munster went into the game as favourites but Benetton, the first Italian side to make the knockout stages of the competition, led 10-3 at the break with the help of Ratuva's converted try just before half-time.

Hanrahan's accuracy from the tee proved crucial however, including s decisive 76th-minute kick from the halfway line.

Antonio Rizzi and Jayden Hayward both had final chances for Benetton, but they pulled their drop goal attempts to the right and Munster survived.

Benetton make confident start

Benetton looked far from overawed in the opening exchanges, playing a slightly more conservative game than we are used to seeing from them as they kicked for territory regularly.

Munster eventually settled into their game and started to take a stranglehold but found it hard to turn territory into points.

Chris Farrell was brought down just short of the line, while Tadhg Beirne knocked on over it when Conor Murray tried to put him in.

Instead it was through the boot of Bleyendaal that they finally took the lead, the fly-half slotting after Luca Bigi had taken Murray out at a ruck.

Benetton responded immediately, Allan knocking over a penalty after a ruck infringement to bring the Italian side level, despite just 20 percent possession to that point.

Munster continued to press, but could not find a way through the Benetton defence, Marco Riccioni particularly eye-catching with one turnover penalty and a huge scrum to earn another.

The one issue for Benetton was how little ball they had enjoyed in attack, but when they finally did get some, they made it count.

Munster cleared their lines initially but after a lineout and some good work by the forwards down the left, they shifted the ball back to the right.

The passing was slick and Tavuyara produced a trademark finish, touching down with one hand while being tackled. Allan added the touchline conversion.

Hanrahan kicks Munster to success

Johann van Graan's side had dominated the half to little success, but showed more realism after the resumption, Bleyendaal knocking over a second penalty of the afternoon four minutes in.

Hame Faiva could not collect a pass from Tavuyara with the try-line at his mercy but Allan stretched the lead with a penalty on the hour, after Hanrahan had strayed off-side at a lineout.

Munster hit back, Hanrahan knocking over two penalties to make it a one-point game with 15 minutes to go.

Benetton continued to press for a second touchdown but Hanrahan kicked the winning points after Benetton were brought back 10 metres for kicking the ball away.

Munster: Haley; Conway, Farrell, Scannell, Sweetnam; Bleyendaal, Murray; Kilcoyne, Scannell, Archer, Kleyn, Beirne, O'Mahony (capt), Cloete, Stander.

Replacements: O'Byrne, O'Connor, J Ryan, Holland, Botha, Mathewson, Hanrahan, Goggin.

Benetton: Hayward; Tavuyara, Zanon, Morisi, Ioane; Allan (capt), Duvenage; Quaglio, Bigi, Riccioni, Lazzaroni, Ruzza, Negri, Steyn, Halafihi.

Replacements: Faiva, Appiah, Pasquali, Herbst, Budd, Tebaldi, Rizzi, Sgarbi.