Meanwhile, tries in either half by left-wing Darragh Fanning paved the way for Leinster A’s success at Donnybrook Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as Girvan Dempsey’s charges made it three wins from three in their British & Irish Cup Pool with a facile victory over an underwhelming Cross Keys side.
The visitors had narrowly missed taking the lead 10 minutes in when out-half Steffan Jones’ long-distance penalty came crashing off the underside of the crossbar, but the deadlock was eventually broken by the competition’s reigning holders six minutes later when hooker Bryan Byrne finished off a fine move in the right-corner.
Fanning swiftly crossed over for his first try of the contest just three minutes later, and with his St Mary’s College club-mate Cathal Marsh adding a brace of successful penalties before the interval, Leinster ‘A’ brought a commanding 16-0 cushion into the second period.
Another Marsh place-kick nine minutes after the restart further increased the home side’s advantage, and though Cross Keys performed admirably throughout the half, Leinster ‘A’ comfortably secured their bonus-point triumph nevertheless, as both Fanning and powerful centre Coghlan crossed the whitewash late on for the Blue Army.