RUGBY
Leinster A edged out by Exiles in thriller
Donnybrook Leinster 39 (T Beirne 2 tries, A Byrne, B Byrne try each, Penalty Try, J Carbery 2 pens, 4 cons) London Welsh 45 (J Drauniniu, R. Hodson 2 tries each, K Murphy 1 try, J Lewis try each, J. Carlisle 1 pen, 6 cons).
JOSH Drauniniu was the hero for London Welsh when his stoppage-time try ended Leinster A’s British & Irish Cup campaign 39-45 in an enthralling quarter-final encounter. The Blues had made a bright start to the proceedings with a seventh-minute try from lock Tadhg Beirne, but thanks to converted five-pointers by Kieran Murphy and Drauniniu, London Welsh had developed a 14-7 cushion by the end of the first quarter.
Following a 23rd-minute penalty try for the hosts, Beirne’s second touchdown of the half moved Leinster back into the ascendancy – before a Ryan Hodson try ensured that the sides were tied (21-21) during the interval. A 43rd-minute Joey Carbery penalty provided Leinster ‘A’ with a slender advantage after the restart, and although James Lewis crossed over for the visitors, five points apiece from Adam Byrne and Carbery helped the home team to create some daylight. Yet, London Welsh regained the intiaitive with a second try from Hodson, and even though the two-time champions responded with a late Bryan Byrne try, Drauniniu had the final say.