Pro14: Munster's second string extend Benetton's losing run to 14 games

Hollie Davidson producing a composed performance as she refereed her first top-tier men's professional match at Thomond Park

Munster's second string recovered from a slow start to continue Benetton's shocking Pro14 losing run as the home side earned a 31-17 win in Limerick.

Dewaldt Duvenage's 23rd-minute score helped Benetton lead 7-0 but Alex McHenry's try in first-half injury-time put the home side 10-7 up at the break.

Tries from props Keynan Knox and Roman Salanoa put Munster in total control.

Benetton replied with tries from Corniel Els and Giovanni Pettinelli either side of a Ben Healy score.

But it was the Italians' 14th successive reverse in this year's competition with next weekend's last Conference game in Glasgow representing a final chance to end their dismal run.

The match saw Scottish referee Hollie Davidson take charge of her first top-tier men's professional game.

Davidson produced a composed performance as Pro14 history was made with both the refereeing and TMO roles being undertaken by women with Joy Neville in the booth.

Munster's young side recovered from a slow start to continue Benetton's losing run in this year's Pro14

With Munster giving a debut to lock Cian Hurley and handing first starts to Diarmuid Barron, Jake Flannery and Paddy Patterson, the home side struggled to cope with Benetton's early enterprise as the Italians opted to run at the Irish province.

Italian international fly-half Tommaso Allan's long pass helped set up Duvenage's try with Giovanni Pettinelli producing a superb concluding off-load to the lively South African-born scrum-half.

After Allan nailed a superb conversion, JJ Hanrahan's kick cut Benetton's lead to four but the Benetton number 10 then missed a great chance to re-establish the seven-point margin when he missed a penalty from just outside the Munster 22.

The visitors remained ahead as the first half went into the red but late Munster pressure yielded centre McHenry's try after replacement scrum-half Nick McCarthy's long pass and Rory Scannell's fast hands.

After Hanrahan's conversion left Munster 10-7 at the break, the home side dominated territory in the third quarter as props Knox and Salanoa dived over for close-range finishes to extend the margin to 24-7.

A Corniel Els reply on 71 minutes cut Munster's lead before replacement fly-half Ben Healy's score secured the home side's winning bonus-point although the visitors had the final scoring say as number eight Pettinelli burst clear a minute from time.

Munster will be expected to parade a much-changed team in next weekend's Pro14 final against their big Irish rivals Leinster.

Munster: Jake Flannery; Andrew Conway, Alex McHenry, Rory Scannell, Liam Coombes; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson; Liam O'Connor, Diarmuid Barron, Keynan Knox; Cian Hurley, Thomas Ahern; Jack O'Donoghue (capt), Chris Cloete, Jack O'Sullivan.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Jeremy Loughman, Roman Salanoa, Jack Daly, Tommy O'Donnell, Nick McCarthy, Ben Healy, Matt Gallagher.

Benetton: Jayden Hayward; Iliesa Ratuva, Joaquin Riera, Luca Morisi, Angelo Esposito; Tommaso Allan, Dewaldt Duvenage; Nicola Quaglio, Tomas Baravalle, Filippo Alongi; Irne Herbst, Eli Snyman; Alberto Sgarbi, Manuel Zuliani, Giovanni Pettinelli.

Replacements: Corniel Els, Thomas Gallo, Tiziano Pasquali, Nicola Piantella, Marco Barbini, Luca Petrozzi, Tommaso Benvenuti, Leonardo Sarto.