Bleyendaal back after eight-month layoff
Celtic Cup (round six)
Leinster ‘A’ 46
Munster ‘A’ 25
Daire Walsh, Energia Park
Tyler Bleyendaal made his long-awaited return to competitive action last night at Energia Park, where Munster ‘A’s Celtic Cup campaign ended in a comprehensive defeat to Leinster ‘A’.
Following a full recovery from the neck injury that sidelined him since February, Bleyendaal was a 52nd-minute replacement for inside-centre Alex McHenry. With both sides out in front at the summit of the Ireland Conference, Munster knew a sixth successive win would book a spot in the competition’s inaugural final.
They suffered a nightmare start to the contest, however, as Dave Kearney crossed over for Leinster with just 40 seconds gone on the clock. A Jack Stafford try on 27 minutes helped Munster to moved into the ascendancy on 27 minutes, before Scott Penny’s converted score established a four-point interval cushion (15-11) for the hosts.
Munster remained in contention on the resumption, when Sean French cancelled out Penny’s second try of the night, but the Blues opened the floodgates as the action progressed.
Bryan Byrne and Hugh O’Sullivan completed outstanding team moves to leave Munster with a mountain to climb.
Bill Johnston’s seven-point salvo – and Bleyendaal’s introduction – offered the visitors hope, only for Adam Byrne and Jimmy O’Brien to place the outcome beyond doubt with final-quarter tries for Leinster.
Scorers for Leinster ‘A’: S Penny 2 tries, D Kearney, B Byrne, H O’Sullivan, A Byrne, J O’Brien try each, N Reid pen, 4 cons.
Scorers for Munster ‘A’: B Johnston try, 2 pens, 2 cons, J Stafford, S French try each.
LEINSTER ‘A’: J Kelly; A Byrne, J O’Brien, T Daly, D Kearney; N Reid, P Patterson; P Dooley, R Kelleher, V Abdaladze; R Molony, M Kearney; J Murphy S Penny, C Doris.
Replacements: B Byrne for Kelleher, E Byrne for Dooley (both half-time), H O’Sullivan for Patterson, M Deegan for Murphy (both 46), M Silvester for Kelly (49), O Dowling for Doris (59), J Aungier for Abdaladze, C Frawley for Daly (both 70).
MUNSTER ‘A’: L Coombes; S French, S Daly, A McHenry, A Wootton; B Johnston, J Stafford; J Wycherley, D Barron, J Loughman; F Wycherley, D O’Shea; S O’Connor, G Coombes, D O’Callaghan.
Replacements: C Gleeson for J Wycherley (half-time), D Walsh for O’Callaghan, K O’Byrne for Barron (both 45), T Bleyendaal for McHenry (52), C Phillips for Wootton (67), K Knox for Loughman (71), P Kelly for O’Connor, C O’Doherty for Stafford (both 78).
Referee: J Erskine (IRFU).