THE review of Edinburgh’s latest defeat in Ireland will not be pleasant as Mike Blair’s men, chasing the contest for most of the, came up short just when it seemed they were building for a late flourish and get their first win in Limerick in over seven years.

But in the end they left Ireland pointless for the second time in a week and while this was a much improved display from the loss in Dublin to Leinster last week, this is a big dent in Edinburgh’s hopes of making the knockout stages as Munster leapt above them and dished out a lesson in how to finish chances.

Nobody epitomised that than Simon Zebo, the out-of-favour Irish winger, who raced in to score a hat-trick despite hardly touching the ball half a dozen times in the game at Thomond Park.

But Munster know how to grind out results and they got an early foothold in the contest and left Edinburgh chasing the game.

Chris Cloete was the dominant figure in the opening quarter as Munster raced into a 13-0 lead with two-thirds possession against an Edinburgh side who just couldn’t get their hands on the ball.

And when the Scots did manage to get possession Cloete, apparently set to follow Johann van Graan to Bath in the summer, was superb at the breakdown, twice winning turnover penalties in midfield which led to scores.

Munster hit the front after five minutes when they piled on the pressure after a good penalty to touch down the right by Ben Healy, before Edinburgh flanker Connor Boyle was pinged for not releasing Chris Farrell and Healy converted from close range.

The opening try of the contest came from a similar foundation when a jackal from Cloete inside halfway set up the opportunity following another good kick to touch from Healy and Munster went openside from the lineout with lock Fineen Wycherley timing his run to perfection to bulldoze over beside the left posts.

Healy converted to make it 10-0 and then added another penalty from 45 metres after Cloete won another penalty.

The South African continued his tour de force when he spectacularly lifted and carried Farrell over his head to collect the restart, but Edinburgh finally got into the contest and built the phases.

They were rewarded with an excellent try down the right when two of the four players released from the Scottish squad for this one, out-half Blair Kinghorn and Mark Bennett, skippering the side for the first time, combined superbly and Puma Ramiro Moyano raced in for his sixth try since his summer move from Toulon. His Argentine teammate Emiliano Boffelli converted to cut the gap to 13-7 after 24 minutes and they reduced the margin to three just before the break when Munster hooker Diarmuid Barron was penalised for obstructing scrum-half Ben Vellacott and Boffelli kicked the penalty.

But then a high tackle by centre James Lang on Zebo saw Healy go down the left touchline and with an advantage being played after the maul was pulled down, Munster created enough of an overlap for deft hands from Healy to send Zebo over for his 65th try for the province, with the conversion pushing the lead out to 20-10 at the break.

It was a much tighter affair in the third quarter with Edinburgh taking Munster on up front and they reduced the margin to seven when Boffelli slotted a penalty from 30 metres after 50 minutes.

The game hung in the balance at that stage as both sides started to empty their benches and while Edinburgh threatened down the left, Munster dealt with the danger and countered with Dan Goggin and Mike Haley cutting superb lines as they broke diagonally from inside halfway and Zebo was on hand to supply the finished in the left corner, with Healy converting to make it 27-13 going into the final quarter of a good contest.

Edinburgh responded but when they opted to tap a penalty in front of the posts Dave Kilcoyne’s last act on his 200th appearance for Munster was to dislodge the ball from his opposite loosehead Boan Venter, before he departed to rapturous applause.

Edinburgh got a lifeline though nine minutes from time when Henry Pyrgos sniped over under the posts, with Boffelli converting to leave it 27-20.

But that was as close as they got and Zebo completed his hat-trick and wrapped up the bonus point three minutes from time when Healy sent him over in the left corner before adding the extras.

Scorers – Munster: Tries: S Zebo (40, 58, 78), F Wycherley (10). Cons: B Healy (16, 41, 59, 78). Pens: Healy (5, 17)

Edinburgh: Tries: R Moyano (24), H Pyrgos (71). Cons: E Boffelli (25, 72). Pens: Boffelli (38, 50)

Scoring sequence (Munster first): 3-0, 8-0, 10-0, 13-0, 13-5, 13-7, 13-10, 18-10, 20-10 (half-time): 20-13, 25-13, 27-13, 27-18, 27-20, 32-20, 34-20.

Munster: M Haley; C Nash (S Daly 72), C Farrell, D Goggin, S Zebo; B Healy, C Casey (N Cronin 71); D Kilcoyne (J Loughman 66), D Barron (N Scannell 55), S Archer (J Ryan 55); J Kleyn (A Kendellen 71), F Wycherley; J O’Donoghue, C Cloete (J Hodnett 55), G Coombes.

Edinburgh: H Immelman; R Moyano, M Bennett (C Dean 60), J Lang, E Boffelli (C Savala 78); B Kinghorn, B Vellacott; B Venter, A McBurney, L Atalifo (J Armstrong 60); M Sykes, G Young (P Phillips 66); N Haining, C Boyle, B Muncaster.

Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales).