Dominant first half sees Leinster deprive rivals of points
- Updated: 12/10/2024
URC, Leinster 26, Munster 12:
THE atmosphere was electric, Leinster deserved to take the spoils and Munster will have little time to recover before they head to South Africa in a few days time. It took the home side only six minutes to chalk up the first score of the day, James Lowe availing of a well-placed pass to touch down far out. Ciaran Frawley converted. Munster replied and gained good territory only to spoil it by losing the line-out and it was 14-0 with 11 minutes played, Caelan Doris touching down following a driving maul. Things got worse for Graham Rowntree’s boys on 14 minutes, Hugo Keenan slicing through a weak defence to touch down near the posts with Frawley adding the extras to make it 21-0. Munster fans in the record attendance must have been thinking of a whitewash result, Jack Crowley missing a penalty, the ball hitting the post, two more misses at lineout time, a forward pass and a disallowed try but there was a ray of hope when Sean O’Brien got in for a try but Crowley missed the converson. A fourth Leinster try sealed the bonus point, this time RG Snyman dotting down. Munster replied on 66 minutes with a try by Mike Healy after a clever kick from Coombes converted by Crowley. to send the teams to leave the score at the final whistle 26-12.
Munster must be credited on the way they performed in the second 40 minutes but not for the first time in this URC competition injuries continue to deprive them to field at full strength. It’s off to South Africa now with two fixtures in successive week-ends to be played.
Leinster: Hugo Keenan, Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Ciarán Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Lee Barron, Tadhg Furlong, RG Snyman, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (CAPT)
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne
Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 46th league game)
AR 1: Peter Martin (IRFU) AR 2: Keane Davison (IRFU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)
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