Matchtracker: London Irish 11-11 Leinster

By Tadhg Peavoy

7.49pm: What a finish. Two drop-goals in thirty seconds ultimately decided if Irish were to play in the quarter-finals. Malone didn't quite have the goods at the end-game - or throughout the 80 minutes - to kill off the Dublin side.

Leinster get a home quarter-final. Against who will be decided on Sunday. London Irish will concentrate on the Guinness Premiership as they are out of Europe.

So, that's it. Revenge for Leinster for their round one defeat. Thanks for reading. See y'after.

RESULT: LONDON IRISH 11-11 LEINSTER

80 mins: Malone goes for the drop-goal! He misses it, it didn't have the legs! Kearney goes for touch but he can only put it into the arms of a London Irish man. Malone is fed the ball just inside the halfway line. He goes for a second drop-goal attempt. Misses it again. Nacewa gathers and puts it into touch. Game over! 11-11.

79 mins: London Irish now win their own restart! Irish drive up the middle. They are just outside the ten-metre area.

79 mins: DROP-GOAL: Leinster go right back up the field. they win the kick-off. Sexton gets in the pocket and goes for a drop-goal! 11-11.

77 mins: Irish run it back and Leinster go over the top at a ruck. Peno Irish! Malone to kick it. To win the game? Perhaps. PENALTY: Malone to kick. He gets it this time! 11-8.

76 mins: Reddan gets a Leinster turnover and Reddan boots thirty yards downfield.

75 mins: Reddan clears to SLK Tagicakibau who takes it back into the Leinster half with some powerful running.

73 mins: Casey takes the throw. Two metres out. Hodgson to Paice. Malone is in the pocket for the drop-goal. Irish drive forward again. And again. A metre out from the line. The ball is spun back to Malone - but he doesn't go for a drop goal! Malone passes to SLK Tagicakibau who is tackled a metre out. Malone was too flat for the kick. SLK Tagicakibau put into touch.

72 mins: Leinster wheel the ensuing scrum and it's a penalty for Irish. Malone is going for touch. Lineout for Irish: right in the corner. Pressure on Leinster.

71 mins: McLaughlin drives for Leinster. Reddan feeds Sexton. Out the line to D'Arcy. Kearney knocks on for Leinster. A rare mistake from Rob.

69 mins: Malone loops the ball to D Armitage. Irish setup. Knock on by Seveali'i for Irish. Scrum Leinster in the Irish 10-metre area.

68 mins: Fogarty hits O'Brien in the line-out. Reddan feeds Healy on the crash ball. Leinster kick to touch.

65 mins: Mapusua is fed the ball off the lineout and makes it the line. He is held short. Hodgson gets the ball quickly from the ruck and feeds Malone. He dives for the line. Healy tries to tackle him, but it looks a try. The TMO agrees: TRY: Malone gets it. 8-8. He will attempt to convert it himself. He misses it! The hard work was done - not a hard kick to get!

64 mins: Hala'ufia picks and goes in midfield. Peno against Leinster at the breakdown. Irish kick to the corner. They need a try and they know it.

63 mins: The attendance is announced as over 37,00 people.

62 mins: Kearney clears downfield. Ojo returns it. Kearney makes twenty yards with a darting run forward.

61 mins: Malone clears for Irish. Lineout Leinster. It goes wide to Drico. He passes wildly to Horgan when a try looked to be on. Cullen comes off injured for Mal O'Kelly.

60 mins: Leinster want a try. They lose the ball forward. Scrum for Irish on their own line.

59 mins: Peno for Leinster as Rautenbach was kicking Cullen in the ruck.

58 mins: Jennings is off for Leinster and O'Brien comes on.

57 mins: Casey barges through the Leinster defence and sets up a ruck. The ball is lost and D'Arcy clears downfield. Irish recover the ball. Malone tries to clear but can't. Kearney kicks to the corner! Great kick from Kearney. Malone is up and down like a see-saw here. He needs to settle.

56 mins: Malone kicks the free-kick for possession. He makes touch. Just outside the Leinster 22. Irish need a try to make the quarter-finals. Can they do it.

54 mins: Fogarty throws in a line-out. Leinster close the line and it's a free-kick for Irish.

53 mins: Cross field kick by Malone to Ojo. He passes inside to Mapusua. Could have been a try there. Superb vision from Malone.

52 mins: Scrum Leinster, they win it. Heaslip picks and goes. We're in the Irish half. Hines picks for Leinster and pumps the legs five yards. Reddan to Sexton to D'Arcy. Van der Linde drives forward. Drico gets the ball and runs in a loop and pass to Horgan who fumbles forward.

50 mins: Leinster spill the ball in midfield. Malone boots to Kearney. He sets up a ruck. Reddan to Drico. Nacewa chips ahead. Armitage knocks on from Nacewa's kick. Irish are not making their extra man count whatsoever.

49 mins: D Armitage skews a clearance straight out. Line-out Leinster in the Irish half.

47 mins: Irish win a peno for hands in the ruck. Kick at goal for Malone from halfway. PENALTY: Malone is at halfway, in the centre of the pitch. He steps up...he misses it. Poor kick.

47 mins: Cian Healy is sin-binned for punching during that altercation. Just when Irish were under presssure. Very frustrating play from the youngster.

46 mins: Leinster set up the ball in the 22. Reddan knocks on. Woah! It all kicks-off! Bob Casey gets involved in a tangle with the whole Leinster pack!

44 mins: Ruck in Irish's half. Hodgson box kicks. The ball drifts out. Leinster will have the throw. The ball goes wide to Drico. He kicks to the Irish corner. Great screw kick. Irish take a quick lineout and setup. A third box-kick from Hodgson in as many minutes. Leinster have Irish by the collar at the moment.

44 mins: D'Arcy is down injured and there is break in play in order that he can receive attention.

42 mins: D'Arcy makes a break down the midfield for Leinster. Healy takes up the mantle. Jennings does the same. The ball is grubbered ahead and Heaslip goes down injured. Ball in touch in Irish 22. Lineout to Irish. Hodgson box-kicks clear.

41 mins: After more aerial ping-pong Sexton is returned the ball and chips to touch. Paice thows in and Irish secure. Malone clears downfield to halfway.

41 mins: Welcome back! Sexton kicks off to Irish.

HALF-TIME: LONDON IRISH 3-8 LEINSTER

40 mins: Half-time. First 40 minutes was all Irish, but Leinster lead at half-time as Irish just couldn't get through a defensive wall of Blue Magic! Back for the second half shortly.

40 mins: A very tough kick for Sexton from the touchline. He puts it a whisker wide of the upright.

38 mins: Leinster turn over the ball at the scrum. Heaslip drives hard to the line. Leinster set-up right on the line. S Artmitage is on the wing, but gets pulled in and Reddan feeds Nacewa on the wing where Armitage should have been. Nacewa crosses for a try! 3-8.

37 mins: Reddan feeds Nacewa on the left wing, Nacewa is one on one with D Armitage, he throws a loop pass to D'Arcy - one metre from the line! But, it's forward. D'Arcy made that move with a half-break and offload.

36 mins: Leinster are a little afraid out there. They have run it very seldomly and Kearney is kicking all the time. Most un-Leinster like.

35 mins: Restart is gathered by S Armitage. Malone clears - he yet again misses touch. Kearney goes for a long drop goal. Misses badly.

34 mins: Van der Linde is caught offside at a ruck and Irish get a peno in the Leinster half. Chance to level here. PENALTY: Malone steps up to level, he gets it this time. 3-3.

33 mins: Hodgson looks like he has had his head split open. he comes off for a blood sub. That's the most action-packed thing that's happened this half!

32 mins: Irish scrum. Hala'ufia is shunted back on a number 8 pick-up by Jennings. The ball is set up and Malone clears but Horgan gathers the kick. Kearney sets it up in midfield. Through the hands from Leinster but Horgan knocks on. Shocking!

32 mins: Jackman is taken off already! Cheika had enough of his wayward throws in the lineout. Fogarty is on. Good move Cheika, sorry Jackman!

31 mins: Ojo break from the peno, but he throws a lose pass.

29 mins: Topsy Ojo caught offside after a clearance from Hodgson. Peno for Leinster: PENALTY: Sexton kicks from the touchline inside the 10-metrea are. He hits the upright.

27 mins: Irish come back at Leinster. Dermody drives for Irish. The ball goes wide to Ojo, yet again it's a poor pass from Thorpe this time and into touch. Irish are missing and dropping passes all over the place. The kids out in Willow Park could do better!

26 mins: Scrum Irish: It's good. Hala'ufia breaks from the back of the scrum, but loses the ball and Sexton hoofs it down to the Irish half.

26 mins: It's a dull affair here so far. Irish are beginning to look dominant and Leinster need to get hold of the ball and calm things down a little. All the possession has been for the Reading based side.

25 mins: Irish win the lineout. Mapusua takes it into contact. Ball not coming out and Irish going forward. Scrum in front of the Leinster posts.

24 mins: Leinster twist the scrum, peno for Irish. Malone kicks into the Leinster 22. Dangerous position here.

22 mins: Scrum Irish. Knock on from Ojo on the wing. Leinster counter attack, but Jackman can't hold on to a Drico pass. Another Irish scrum.

21 mins: Irish kill the ball at the ruck and it's a peno for Leinster. Reddan makes a mistake kicking too long and bringing a scrum back for Irish. Silliness! Sexton could have got three points for that one.

19 mins: Lineout Leinster in Irish's half. Sexton makes a half break in the midfield. Reddan spins the ball blindside to D'Arcy to drive forward for a few hard yards.

17 mins: Irish are in the Leinster 22. Nacewa smashes into S Armitage, halting his progresss. Good defence from Leinster. Irish can't get through and Malone goes for a drop-goal. The attempt falls weakly wide.

16 mins: Ojo is fed by Malone in midfield and burst into the Leinster 22. The ball is spread wide by Irish, but the pass to SLK Tagicakibau is into touch. Leinster lose another of their lineouts. Malone goes for a drop-goal - he misses.

15 mins: Leinster restart. But Ojo gets the restart for Irish. He makes a half break but his offload is dropped by Armitage.

13 mins: Leinster concede a peno again, this time for not rolling away at the ruck in their own half, inside the 10-metre area. PENALTY: He misses a simple kick.

12 mins: Kearney punts back to Irish. D Armitage feigns injury from a Horgan late tackle and wins a peno.

11 mins: From the line-out Leinster set-up. Drico hits up the midfield. Sexton clears downfield. Ojo drops it backwards but he secures it. Irish clear through Malone.

9 mins: Leinster win their lineout. Ball is sent across the backline to Nacewa who chips ahead into the Irish 22. Mark by Armitage.

8 mins: Ball lost by Irish in the loose again. Sexton clears downfield. Topsy Ojo returns the kick to touch.

7 mins: Irish lose the ball into touch. Jackman throws to number one in the line, Cian Healy, is not looking and drops it. What is Jackman doing! Zero from two for Leinster's lineout.

6 mins: From the restart Leinster receive. Sexton to Armitage, who returns the kick to Sexton. He is knocked into touch with the ball by S Armitage and knocks on first. Scrum Irish.

4 mins: Leinster scrum in the Irish half. Irish infringe at the scrum and it's a peno for Leinster. The scrum was being wheeled by Irish. PENALTY: Sexton from outside the 10-metre area in Irish's area. He kicks, from the right side of the pitch, and gets it! 0-3.

3mins: Crooked Leinster throw. Irish put-in for the resulting scrum. Good scrum from Irish. The ball is spun out the line - Chris Malone kicks ahead, but Kearney is there to cover.

1min: So, Malone kicks-off for Irish. Leinster gather. Reddan clears. Delon Armitage clears to Rob Kearney, but it's ping pong here. Armitage smacks it downfield to Kearney. The ball hits touch in Leinster's 22.

6.00pm: Irish hit the Twickenham surface and the crowd erupts. Looks like a cracking atmosphere.

5.59pm: The team look focused and composed. Its very much a case of quiet calm from Leinster.

5.58pm: Cullen leads Leinster out. They wear their away kit of light blue shirts.

5.57pm: That home quarter-final would most likely be against Munster's foes this weekend Northampton.

5.56pm: So, just to reiterate, if Leinster win they secure a top seeding and home quarter-final in Dublin.

5.49pm: Twickenham is filling up now. The whole lower tier looks full. There are even a few forlorn looking groups right up on the top tier at the RFU HQ.

5.47pm: Michael Cheika is being interviewed by SKY and tells them 'We are coming out to play a certain way.' He also states that they will not change their style depending on the other results yesterdy and today. Fighting words from the Aussie.

5.28pm: I'll be back here just before kick-off at 6pm. See you then.

5.19pm: At the moment things are not looking great for Ulster. they are beating Bath 10-21; however, they need a bonus-point win. At the moment they only have two tries and Stade are only losing by two points to Edinburgh, so Stade are safe in Pool 4. Follow the scoring in that one, here.

5.12pm: Hello again everyone. I'll be guiding you through today's Heineken Cup clash at Twickenham, where London Irish are out to grab a bonus-point win to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals. Everyone in 'The Pale' will be hoping that Leinster can deliver a performance that will deny Irish this chance.

London Irish:15 Delon Armitage, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Elvis Seveali'i, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 10 Chris Malone, 9 Paul Hodgson, 8 Chris Hala'Ufia, 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Richard Thorpe, 5 Bob Casey, 4 Nick Kennedy, 3 Faan Rautenbach, 2 David Paice, 1 Clarke Dermody.
Replacements:16 James Buckland, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Paulica Ion, 19 Gary Johnson, 20 Kieran Roche, 21 Peter Hewat, 22 Peter Richards, 23 Ryan Lamb,

Leinster:15 Rob Kearney, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Isa Nacewa, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip , 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Leo Cullen(c), 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Bernard Jackman, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 John Fogarty, 17 Mike Ross, 18 Stan Wright, 19 Malcolm O'Kelly, 20 Sean O'Brien, 21 Paul O'Donohoe, 22 Shaun Berne, 23 Girvan Dempsey.

Date: Saturday, January 23
Venue: Twickenham
Kick-off:18.00 GMT
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU).