Leinster move closer to retaining British and Irish Cup with six-try victory

Leinster A 47
Munster A 15


A six-try performance from Leinster easily saw off the challenge of Munster at Donnybrook last night as the defending champions took a step closer to retaining their title.

Leinster were full value for their win as they dominated Munster up front. Leading 25-3 at the break, any hopes of an unlikely comeback were put to an end when Tom Denton cancelled out Paddy Butler’s try five-minutes after the restart.

Man-of-the-match Cathal Marsh got the scoring underway after just six-minutes when he made the most of a sloppy Munster lineout. The outhalf added a penalty shortly later before Noel Reid crossed in the corner. Marsh added the extras with an excellent touchline conversion.

The impressive Jack Conan was next the cross the whitewash for the home side when he broke off the back of yet another powerful scrum. Marsh easily converted before Rory Scannell eventually put Munster on the scoreboard with a penalty.

Positive reaction
Munster did start the second half more positively as Burke forced his way over from close range but Leinster immediately hit back through Denton. Marsh again added the extras and quickly added a penalty for a 35-8 lead. Munster's Jack O'Donoghue completed a frenetic six-minute scoring spree when he scored with his first touch having come on as a replacement. David Johnston converted but it proved nothing more than a consolation.

Leinster upped the intensity and Munster’s defence was soon breached again when Marsh breezed through a gaping hole to dot down under the posts for a try that he himself converted.

Coghlan-Murray completed the rout on the stroke of full-time as Leinster cruised to victory to seal their place in the last four of the competition.

LEINSTER A: D Hudson; S Coghlan Murray, C O'Shea, N Reid, A Boyle; C Marsh (S Crosbie 73), L McGrath (J Cooney 53); J O'Connell, J Tracy (B Byrne 54), M Kelly; Q Roux, T Denton (R Molony 75); B Marshall, D Ryan (L Auva'a 47), J Conan.
MUNSTER A: R O'Mahony; A Conway, C Bohane, I Dineen (N Kenneally 69), L O'Dea; R Scannell (D Johnston h/t), G Hurley (B Haugh 59); N Horan, N Scannell (G Slattery 50), B Scott (R Burke 38); D O'Shea, B Holland (S McCarthy 75); S Buckley (J O'Donoghue 50), B O'Mahony , P Butler.
Referee: C Maxwell Keys (ERU)