WATCH: Munster rack up magnificent seven in routing the Kings

MUNSTER racked up seven tries to thump the struggling Southern Kings 43-0 before a sell-out crowd of 8,008 at Musagrave Park on Friday night to remain top of Conference A of the Guinness PRO14.

Johann van Graan's side ran in five second half tries to break the South African side's resistance and stretch their unbeaten home record to 18 games.

The one down side for Munster was an unfortunate injury sustained by Ireland centre Chris Farrell which saw him replaced at the end of the opening quarter.

Munster led 12-0 at the end of a largely frustrating opening 40 minutes. Conditions didn't help either team as the opening quarter was played in a steady drizzle, accompanied by a swirling wind.

Munster went in front on 12 minutes when scrum-half Neil Cronin darted over from close range following a period of good pressure from the home side. It was Limerick man Cronin's first senior try for Munster in the PRO14 in his second stint with the province. Centre Rory Scannell duly added to conversion to stretch the advantage to seven points.

The home side didn't help their cause with the large number of unforced errors and turnovers they made. 

Munster were dealt a further blow on 17 minutes when Ireland centre Farrell cried off with an injury. The luckless Farrell had had a bandage applied to his right leg a short few minutes before being replaced.

"A great little opportunist try, but there's a massive hole there that Kings need to protect under the post."

14 mins: Munster 7-0 Kings. Neil Cronin try, Rory Scannell conversion. #GuinnessPRO14 #MUNvKIN pic.twitter.com/SnT3IKiTbl

— eir Sport (@eirSport) February 15, 2019

However, a second Munster try from winger Andrew Conway, when the Kings had number eight Ruaan Lerm in the sin-bin gave the home side some breathing space at half-time.

Darren Sweetnam's 54th minute try made the game safe for the home side who were unbackable 1/80 favourites with the bookmakers before kick-off.

"It had been coming, it seemed like just a matter of time.

"Once it found the arms of Andrew Conway, he had a relatively straightforward task."

TRY for Andrew Conway.

HT: Munster 12-0 Kings.

#GuinnessPRO14 #MUNvKIN pic.twitter.com/10Od4v1Kof

— eir Sport (@eirSport) February 15, 2019

Second-row Billy Holand dotted down for the bonus point try for the home side, while Rhys Marshall, Jean Kleyn and Rory Scannell also added five-pointers before full-time in a facile win.

SCORERS: Munster: Neil Cronin, Andrew Conway, Darren Sweetnam, Billy Holland, Rhys Marshall, Jean Kleyn try each. Rory Scannell try, four cons.

"We looked at ourselves pretty hard in the changing round at half-time, and we'll be fairly happy with how we turned things around."

Munster's man-of-the-match Jean Kleyn was pleased with his side's turnaround after the break.

FT: Munster 43-0 Kings.#GuinnessPRO14 #MUNvKIN pic.twitter.com/gf3dT77DB4

— eir Sport (@eirSport) February 15, 2019

MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Darren Sweetnam; Tyler Bleyendaal (capt), Neil Cronin; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland, Fineen Wycherley, Chris Cloete, Arno Botha. Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Liam O'Connor, Stephen Archer, Darren O'Shea, Gavin Coombes, Alby Mathewson, JJ Hanrahan, Dan Goggin.

ISUZU SOUTHERN KINGS: Masixole Banda; Yaw Penxe, Meli Rokoua, Berton Klaasen, Bjorn Basson; Bader Pretorius, Stefan Ungerer; Schalk Ferreira, Michael Willemse, De-Jay Terblanche, Dries van Schalkwyk, John-Charles Astle (capt), Stephan de Wit, Martinus Burger, Ruaan Lerm. Replacements: Alandre van Rooyen, Alulutho Tshakweni, Pieter Scholtz, Stephan Greeff, Andisa Ntsila, Sarel Pretorius, Tertius Kruger, Ulrich Beyers.

REFEREE: Andrea Piardi (Italy)