As it happened: Munster 15-16 Leinster
Updated: Friday, 02 Apr 2010 23:08
By Tadhg Peavoy
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Predictions, rants and raves welcome to sportonline@rte.ie.
A top-class derby encounter this was. A high-octane, penalty-ridden affair it was too, but the effort and commitment on display cannot be faulted.
Sexton still has problems with the boot - missing two penalties tonight. However, the Leinster man has bottle and his final kick was pure class under huge pressure.
Ultimately, Munster didn't do enough and needed a try. The 10,12,13 axis was not dangerous enough to challenge a superb Leinster defensive effort.
As for Leinster, plaudits go to Nacewa for a superb chip ahead for Kearney's first half try.
Thanks for joining us. See you next week for Heineken Cup action. See y'after.
FULL-TIME: MUNSTER 15-16 LEINSTER
80 mins Another scrum, it's Leinster's. It collapses. One penalty will change the destiny of this match. Heaslip picks and goes. He makes five yards. O'Kelly picks and goes. Reddan is kicked in the head as he passes out to Sexton. Sexton boots downfield and into touch. FULL-TIME. Munster 15-16 Leinster. Leinster have won in Thomond Park for the first time in 15 long years.
79 mins Scrum Munster. Williams picks for Munster. O'Gara skip passes to Mafi. O'Leary to Warwick. De Villiers beats four men but his pass to Howlett was intercepted by Nacewa.
77 mins Scrum Leinster in the 10 metre area. Crucial scrum. One point game. Heaslip picks and Reddan kicks downfield. Warwick throws a wild pass and Nacewa intercepts but then drops it!
76 mins De Villiers drives down the right wing. Superb retention for Munster. Knock-on from O'Gara! Just when they needed a calm head. The drop-goal was on, why didn't he drop into the pocket. Strange decision.
75 mins Munster put it out the line. De Villiers and Quinlan drive. Third phase. Quinlan goes forward. Fogarty into contact. This is ninth phase now. Mafi steps past McFadden who makes a last-ditch tackle.
74 mins O'Gara kicks into the Leinster the 22. Jennings is fed the ball, but De Villiers takes him down. Leinster hold-on on the deck. Munster kick the peno downfield to halfway.
74 mins Wright is off with a calf injury. CJ van der Linde comes back in.
72 mins The two Fogarty brothers are packing down opposite each other in the scrum. Ball kicked into tough, Howlett ran it in actually. Leinster scrum. Nacewa twists and turns into contact. Sexton goes back into the pocket, but hits it wide to the left.
71 mins Warwick knock-on: Leinster scrum.
70 mins Reddan puts in. Kearney chips into the Munster half. Warwick returns the compliment. Sexton kicks back to Munster. The ball goes forward from a red hand.
69 mins Munster turnover the ball at the first ruck after the scrum. Howlett clears to Kearney. Kearney thumps it back downfield. Buckley drives forward in the loose. O'Leary spins wide, but the ball was knocked forward. Leinster put-in.
68 mins Fogarty's first line-out is not straight. Leinster scrum. The scrum is just outside the Munster 22. Berne is in for D'Arcy, who has injured his hamstring.
66 mins From the restart Leinster gather. Flannery is off for Fogarty. Leinster kick to Warwick. He returns the ball and puts it into touch. Reddan put the ball out the line. Kearney goes into contact. Wright carries for Leinster. Sexton drives forward himself a little.
64 mins Leinster win the restart, however, O'Gara gives away a penalty by coming in the side of the ruck. PENALTY to Leinster. A chance for Sexton to atone for his error a moment ago. This one if from the left of the posts, just inside halfway. He gets this one. 15-16.
62 mins Line-out Leinster and Nacewa comes into the line from the wing. Healy drives forward with serious power. Leinster win a penalty at the breakdown. Sexton elects to kick from just inside the Munster half. PENALTY. He has two from three so far today. He misses again.
61 mins Quinlan charges at pace from a Munster scrum. Great hands from Ronan in the build-up.
60 mins De Villiers loops around on the right wing and is almost away, but crossing was awarded. Leinster kick downfield.
59 mins Munster turn over Leinster ball in a ruck. Munster scrum. Heaslip was caught holding on at the bottom of the ruck.
58 mins Scrum Munster. The game has lost its continuity and fizz. It's tense and stop-starty now.
57 mins Dowling is off for Deasy.
56 mins Flannery throw. O'Callaghan takes the ball. Ball kicked straight out by O'Leary.
55 mins Scrum Munster: O'Leary kicks clear but does not make touch. Sexton goes for touch, straight out on the full.
54 mins Serious let-off for Munster there. White-line fever grips McFadden!
53 mins O'Gara fails to find touch. Stan Wright drives forward for Leinster. The ball is chipped ahead and oh so nearly falls into McFadden's hands for a try.
53 mins Munster claim the restart. An infringement leads to a Munster scrum. Knock on from Jennings was the reason.
53 mins Five from five for O'Gara.
52 mins PENALTY: O'Gara from halfway between the 10 and 22 metre lines, to the left of the posts. He steps up...and, of course, he gets it. 15-13.
51 mins Hines is sin-binned for a spear tackle on Dowling.
50 mins O'Gara kicks for field position. He gets inside the Leinster 10-metre area.
49 mins Free-kick to Leinster. They set-up in midfield. But they hold-on in the ruck and it's peno to Munster.
48 mins Free-kick off the scrum. Ronan tries to go past Reddan. O'Gara kicks downfield and Nacewa claims. It is booted downfield and Munster run it back with Howlett. It ends in the stands off Howlett's boot. More handbag arguments again! Flannery and Reddan this time.
47 mins Knock-on from Leinster at the 22 drop out.
45 mins Leinster throw in the Munster half. Cullen off the top of the lineout. Jennings makes hard yards. Sexton makes a half break. Sexton goes for the corner, but the ball is knocked over the dead-ball line by Warwick. 22-metre drop out.
44 mins Flannery finds Niall Ronan in the line-out. Flannery charges forward. O'Leary kicks downfield and Dempsey claims. At the breakdown O'Driscoll goes off his feet, Leinster peno. Sexton kicks downfield.
42mins Munster peno because of a binding issue. Healy gave away the peno. O'Gara kicks to touch, still in the Munster half.
41 mins O'Gara to kick off to Leinster. Cullen takes the high ball. Sexton clears downfield. Warwick collects and returns a punted ball. Kerney is under it. Reddan feeds Jennings on the touchline. He cuts back in. Heaslip tramples over a red jersey and feeds Reddan. He is half away, but the Red defence recovers. Stan Wright also carrries. Munster knock-on at the breakdown. Leinster put-in. Mick O'Driscoll looks like his back is injured again.
8.58pm The panel believe the tensions are so high out there, a red card is not implausible at some point. Let's hope not.
An interesting area is the scrum. There have been four penalties from scrums, as far as I can remember. This was the same in the Munster v Glasgow tie last week. The interpretation is very strict over the last few weeks and is becoming an area where a side can concede three points with ease.
HALF-TIME: MUNSTER 12-13 LEINSTER
40 mins From the restart it goes down the Leinster throats. They run it downfield. Nacewa chips ahead on the 10-metre line. The bounce of the ball deceives O'Leary and pops into Rob Kearney's hands. TRY! Kearney forces his way over the line from 5 metres out. CONVERSION: Sexton slots the conversion from the touchline! Superb kick. Munster 12-13 Leinster.
39 mins Sexton will go for goal. PENALTY: It's to the left of the posts outside the 10-metre line. He misses it. No score. Poor from the out-half.
37 mins Reddan snipes down the blind-side and feeds Dempsey. No space but he feeds back inside. Leinster set-up the ball. Munster come in the side and it's a penalty to Leinster.
36 mins My apologies, scrum not line-out to Leinster. Reddan puts in. It is reset. Early engagement from Leinster and Munster get a peno. Mafi overlaps De Villiers and feeds Dowling who is stopped by Nacewa. Knock-on at an ensuing ruck. Leinster put-in to the scrum.
35 mins Line-out to Leinster in their own 10-metre line. Mick O'Driscoll is complaining to the ref about Stan Wright's binding in the scrum. He says Wright is leaning his elbow on the ground.
34 mins De Villiers takes the 22 kick out. Munster set up in the Leinster 10-metre area. O'Leary forward passes under pressure from Stan Wright. Woah, Stan Wright is everywhere. Cook Islands' greatest export!
33 mins From the line-out Warwick kicks to Nacewa. O'Gara returns it and it goes over the try-line. 22-metre drop-out for Leinster.
31 mins Toner steals the restart for Leinster. Mix-up in the Lions backline. Dempsey caught isolated in no-man's land and flat-footed. He managed to offload to Nacewa, but it was forward. Munster scrum. O'Gara drills a kick downfield. Kearney returns and Warwick then drills to Leinster. Sexton puts the ball into touch on halfway.
30 mins These penalties are killing Leinster. O'Gara is gobbling up all chances thrown his way.
29 mins O'Gara restarts. Heaslip takes. Reddan slices his box-kick and it goes zero feet. Leinster offside at the ruck. PENALTY Munster. O'Gara to kick again. He slots it with typical ease. 12-6.
28 mins Sexton will kick the peno from right in front of the posts. PENALTY: No, McFadden will take it as Sexton has suffered a knock. He gets the kick. 9-6.
27 mins O'Callaghan back on the pitch after his yellow card.
26 mins Fogarty, Cullen and Sexton drive forward for Leinster. D'Arcy makes a superb break side-stepping into open space, but there is no support. The ball is spun to the far right wing. Kearney goes for the line, selfishly, he had Nacewa outside. Chance gone. But Leinster get a peno for Munster infringing in the ruck.
25 mins Cullen is back on the field. Wright wins a peno in the scrum against John Hayes. Sexton kicks downfield. Into the Munster half Leinster will take their throw.
24 mins De Villiers and Dempsey contest a high ball and batter each other in the air. Then the ladies on the pitch take out their hand bags and give each other a few pushes. Somebody lost their lipstick apparently. No need for that scrapping.
23 mins Sexton to restart. O'Driscoll takes the ball high in the air. Warwick attacks from the back, Dowling receive the ball and is forced to kick clear. Sexton gathers and hits it right back.
22 mins O'Gara is on-song.
21 mins PENALTY: O'Gara to restores the six point lead: he does. 9-3.
21 mins O'Gara is almost away, but Heaslip brings him down. O'Leary attempts to chip ahead on the Leinster 10-metre line, but Jennings takes him out. Peno Munster.
20 mins Throw for Leinster. Toner takes it well. Reddan clears downfield. Howlett claims the ball and passes it off to Flannery.
19 mins From the restart Toner takes the ball high in the air. Reddan clears to Munster and Paul Warwick kicks to the corner.
18 mins PENALTY: Sexton to halve the defecit. He does it, from right in front of the posts. 6-3.
17 mins Reddan appeared to have knocked-on, but the ref doesn't see it. Leinster set up a ruck and O'Callaghan slaps the ball from Reddan's hand. Clearly offside and right in front of the ref. He sees yellow and is into the sin-bin.
15 mins Leinster turn over the ball in an ensuing ruck. Stan Wright won the ball in the ruck and a peno is awarded for Red hands on the ground. Sexton again kicks to the corner.
14 mins Sexton to kick-off. Dowling fires it back to Leinster. Nacewa gets the ball on the touchline and kicks ahead. It's straight out and poor.
13 mins Cullen was offside anyway and deserves to walk for that. O'Gara steps up to try to convert the penalty: PENALTY. He does. Munster 6-0 Leinster.
12 mins Flannery throws and Quinlan takes. Flannery picks and drives. O'Leary spins it out to Ronan. In the 22 metre area still. Mafi can't find a way past Sexton. O'Gara to Warwick but McFadden drives Warwick back. Mafi is taken to ground by Heaslip. Munster try to offload and Cullen deliberately knocks on. He is sin-binned for the offence.
11 mins O'Gara finds touch in the Leinster 22. Impressive start from ROG.
10 mins Peno against Leinster for an infringement in the scrum.
10 mins All that attack came from a Niall Ronan steal at a ruck.
9 mins Niall Ronan is fed the ball on the wing and makes ground. Eventually brought down. O'Gara tries to find Ronan again but the throw is forward.
7 mins Another line-out from a clearance is gathered by Leinster. From a ruck the ball is put into the midfield. McFadden is blocked by De Villiers and in the ruck Munster steal. Flannery, Howlett and De Villiers make 40 yards for the Reds. They are in Leinster's half now.
6 mins Line-out Leinster. Fogarty's throw is stolen by Mick O'Driscoll. Great steal.
5 mins Scrum again: O'Leary puts in. Munster wheel the scrum 180 and it's a Leinster peno now. Sexton kicks for the corner and gets it.
4 mins Scrum Munster. It collapses and will be reset. Again the scrum collapses and will be reset.
4 mins Sexton's restart doesn't make it ten yards. Scrum back for Munster.
3 mins O'Gara steps up for the penalty on the 10 metre line in the Leinster half. PENALTY: He kicks and...gets it. 3-0.
2 mins Scrum Munster. Scrum wheels 180 and it's a Munster penalty.
1min We're off in Limerick! Sexton kicks to the Munster pack. O'Callaghan claims. O'Leary box-kicks clear to Kearney. Jennings makes a helf-break but a Leinster kick is blocked down. Then a knock on.
8.05pm Red flags are waving, all Munster fans are on their feet. Munster emerge from the tunnel at the last possible minute. The mind games begin already.
8.04pm As I am stuck in a room in RTÉ and not Thomond, I can't say for definite, but imagine the atmosphere is awesome!
8.03pm Cullen leads out his Blue Magic team. Terrible nickname, great captain.
7.59pm The ground is packed, the Limerick boozers are packed. Kick-off is looming. The teams are due out on the hallowed turf shortly.
7.57pm Stat-attack! Leinster havn't won in Thomond Park for 15 years.
7.52pm There are key battles all over the park today. One of the major ones is the lineout. Can Munster cope without their talismanic leader O'Connell and can Cullen destruct Munster's ball on their own throw.
Midfield is a huge battleground today. Rookie Fergus McFadden facing-off with World Cup winner Jean de Villiers could be a huge struggle for the Leinster man. However, it is also a great chance for McFadden to prove his worth on the big stage.
7.48pm The panel are analyzing the Paul O'Connell v Leo Cullen debate. Any thoughts out there as to who is the more complete player?
7.45pm Matt Williams is doing a tour of Thomond on Setanta's coverage. He's managed to sneak into the dressing room too. He tells us that last time he was a manager there, his Ulster side scored five tries to Munster's one. Pity his Scotland team could barely manage a try at all during his reign there. Sorry Matt!
7.40pm: As always, predictions, rants and raves welcome to sportonline@rte.ie.
7.40pm It's Good Friday. The pubs are shut and, as a result, not a soul is out. Tumbleweed blows down the street. Only one thing to do, watch the Munster-Leinster derby and sip some homemade lemonade in the comfort of your living room.
Munster v Leinster Magners League at Thomond Park on Friday, 2 April at 8.05pm:
Munster XV: P Warwick; D Howlett, L Mafi, J de Villiers, I Dowling; R O'Gara capt, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace.
Replacements: D Fogarty, T Buckley, N Williams, J Coughlan, P Stringer, T Gleeson, S Deasy
Leinster XV: R Kearney; G Dempsey; F McFadden; G D'Arcy; I Nacewa; J Sexton; E Reddan; S Wright; J Fogarty; CJ van der Linde; L Cullen; D Toner; N Hines; S Jennings; J Heaslip
Replacements: B Jackman; C Healy; M O'Kelly; S Keogh; P O'Donoghue; S Berne; E O'Malley
Leinster win ERC: Player ratings
As it Happened: Leinster win Heineken Cup
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