Munster and Leinster grab vital wins as race for Pro12 play-offs tightens

It's getting tight at the top of the Pro12.

Munster and Leinster both struck for crucial victories in Italy, but today's action saw Ulster squander a winning position in Cardiff to put themselves right back in the play-off qualification melting pot. After Connacht's brilliant bonus-point victory over the Ospreys last night saw them stretch their lead at the summit of the table, Leinster matched them by producing a 27-10 win against Zebre to close to within a point of the Westerners, with a game in hand. First-half tries from Luke McGrath and Dominic Ryan gave Leinster a comfortable half-time lead before Adam Byrne touched down to extend the lead after the break, while former Leinster academy man Ian McKinley kicked five points for the Italians. But the boys in blue were made to wait until the final moments to grab maximum points when Jordi Murphy rumbled over from the back of a maul. Munster saw their chances of reaching the last four hanging by a thread as they trailed Treviso for much of their clash. Anthony Foley's side were 7-5 behind at the break but a super chase and score by Francis Saili brought them level at 10-10 before a pair of penalties from Ian Keatley saw Munster triumph 16-13 on a muddy Stadio Monigo pitch and remain in touch with those above them. There was no such good news for Ulster, however, as they fell to a 23-13 defeat in Cardiff that dropped them within the clutches of the chasing pack in fourth. All was going to plan when Craig Gilroy finished off some great work by centre Sam Arnold to give Ulster a seven-point lead early in the second half. But Cardiff surged back in the final quarter, with tries from Rhys Patchell and Aled Summerhill even denying Les Kiss's side a losing bonus point.