Powerful Blues pack dominate Munster
LEINSTER……………………………….. 11
MUNSTER……………………………….. 03
By Daire Walsh
A first-half try from Dylan Donnellan, and a brace of second-half penalties from Gonzaga’s Conor McKeon, ensured that Leinster enjoyed a deserved win over a spirited Munster side in a rather scrappy U18 inter-provincial tie at Donnybrook yesterday afternoon.
Munster found themselves on the back foot during the opening stages, as a powerfully built Leinster pack looked to take the initiative from the word go. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for some poor handling as they approached the Munster try line, they may well have broken the deadlock inside the opening 10 minutes.
However, their early persistence did pay off, as a long spell of pressure ended with Clongowes hooker Donnellan driving over for a try to the right of the posts 12 minutes in. This was a set-back for the Red Army, but they responded well and, after a couple of good breaks by back-row pair Jack Dineen and Tom Ryan, they reduced the margin to two courtesy of a Gearoid Lyons penalty from 35 metres.
Further indiscipline from Leinster presented the Crescent out-half with another kicking opportunity after 23 minutes, but he was well short with his subsequent attempt. No doubt the Munster management will have been disappointed that this chance was passed up, but McKeon was off target with a similar kick just six minutes later, so they would not have been too disheartened to be taking a 3-5 deficit with them into the second period.
In an effort to take the game to Leinster, St. Munchin’s scrum-half Ryan Tsang was introduced to the fray, and his energy did cause the home side problems upon the resumption. Leinster rode this early storm from Munster though, and a coolly converted McKeon penalty helped to regain a stranglehold on proceedings.
Munster delved further into their replacements to try and peg back Leinster once more. Try as might however, they simply couldn’t find their way through a compact and watertight Blues rearguard, and a second McKeon penalty with four minutes of normal time remaining gave Leinster a hard-fought eight-point win in the end.
Scorers for Leinster: C McKeon 2 pens, D Donnellan try. Munster – G Lyons pen.
Leinster: Billy Dardis; Matthew Madigan, Rory O’Loughlin, Stephen O’Neill, Ian Fitzpatrick; Conor McKeon, Nick McCarthy; Shane Delahunt, Dylan Donnellan, Eoghan McKeever; Ross Molony, Rory Moloney; David Doyle, Dan Leavy, Harrison Brewer.
Replacements: Ruadhan Magee for Madigan (54), Silvio Borza for Delahunt (62), Ruairi O’Farrell for McCarthy (66), Bobby Holland for McKeon (70), Niall Carmody for Moloney (71).
Munster: Cormac O’Donnell; J.J. McDonnell, David Johnson, Ned Hodgson, Steve McMahon; Gearoid Lyons, Ryan Foley; Charlie Slowey, Max Abbott, James Maxwell; Neville Flynn, Darragh Moloney; Jack Dineen, Sonny Dwyer, Tom Ryan.
Replacements: Ryan Tsang for Foley (h-t), Lee Nicholas for Ryan (46), Dan Goggins for McMahon (46), Rory Bourke for Maxwell (60), Ben Burns for Abbott (66), Conor Bonfil for Dwyer (70).
Referee: Jonny Eskine (I.R.F.U.)