Email: sportonline@rte.ie
By Tadhg Peavoy
2118 If ever there was an example of that old cliché 'it's a game of two halves' then this was it. Leinster dominated Munster in every department in the first half; Munster's difficulties were compounded by Johne Murphy's sin-binning. In the second period Munster threw the kitchen sink at Leinster and played the kind of running rugby that they have been missing in so many big matches this season. Leinster's problems were multiplied by Brian O'Driscoll's sin-binning.
That second half fightback was enough to hand Tony McGahan's men victory, just. Great game, great entertainment. Great to see two Irish rugby teams playing so well.
That's it for me, thanks for joining us. There will be a report up on the site shortly and look out for news on Paul O'Connell's injury. It looked like a serious ankle injury - I hope I'm wrong.
Finally, just to let you know, match-winner Ronan O'Gara was named Man of the Match.
The win leaves Munster 12 points clear at the top of the table. Leinster lie fourth, 15 points behind Munster.
Thanks and see y'after.
FULL-TIME: MUNSTER 24-23 LEINSTER
80 mins There is time for one more passage of play as Leinster kick-off. But they cannot gain possession and as the clock ticks into the red, the egg ball is booted to touch. With that the final whistle sounds and Munster win it. An epic encounter.
77 mins Munster scrum: they win it and go wide to Tuitupou - be bashes up the middle, and Leinster pull him to ground.
Munster make some hard yards with pick and go. Munster in the Leinster 22. They are two yards from the Leinster line and win a penalty as Leinster are found guilty of being offside in the tackle. The ref waves play on nad Munster spin wide to Earls on the left wing. He almost jinks to the line, but is tackled short. Another penalty is awarded for Munster as Leinster are deemed to have come in the side of the ruck - I think it was Sexton and D'Arcy who were the offending players.
Munster 24-23 Leinster (O'Gara Penalty )
O'Gara to kick at goal from wide left of goal, on the touchline, O'Gara kicks it to perfection and Munster lead it.
76 mins Munster win the scrum and Coughlan picks and goes. Munster spin wide left to Earls who cuts off the left wing and sets up the ruck. Stringer tries to pass from the ruck to O'Gara, but the ref is in the way. It hits him in the head! Munster will get a scrum going forward, the Thomond crowd bay for the ref's decapitation after his accidental knock-on!
73 mins The Leinster lineout is not straight and Munster will get a scrum - massive mistake from Leinster. The ensuing scrum wheels 180 degrees, but the ref lets play go on. Munster kick long to Nacewa, who returns the compliment. Leinster follow up the kick and are down for offside.
Munster take it quick through Coughlan before going wide to Sam Tuitupou who smashes his way past D'Arcy before chipping ahead. McFadden gathers the kick and Sam Tuitupou slips and collapses on McFadden - the ref rules Tuitupou killed the ball. Leinster awarded a penalty which they kick to touch, before winning the lineout and kicking long to Munster.
Fitzgerald and Howlett contest the dropping ball and neither can win it. The ref rules that the momentum was with Munster and they get the scrum put in.
72 mins Munster maul it forward, but they are found guilty of holding on as the pack goes to ground. Leinster to kick to touch through Sexton. He makes touch in the Munster 10-metre area.
71 mins Leinster go wide to Sexton, who feeds Heaslip, he is smashed into touch by Earls and Sam Tuitupou - bruising tackle.
O'Driscoll returns from the sin-bin.
68 mins Munster batter their way into the Leinster 22 with a maul. The ref says Leinster pulled it down and gives Munster a penalty just outside the Leinster 22, to the left of goal. O'Gara to kick it: the Munster outhalf fails to curl it from right to left and the ball goes wide.
67 mins Varley throws to O'Callaghan, who pops down to Stringer. Earls is fed the ball in midfield and breaks the Leinster line with a chip ahead, with the line at his mercy, Nacewa slides back on the ball to stop a certain Munster try. High-octane action.
66 mins Long kick deep from Leinster's Boss, it goes to touch. Munster throw as Hayes and Stringer come on for Munster.
65 mins BREAKING NEWS: PAUL O'CONNELL HAS BEEN TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR AN X-RAY ON HIS INJURED LEG.
64 mins Munster 21-23 Leinster (Sexton penalty)
Leinster are knocked into touch and Munster take the lineout quickly. Felix Jones breaks into midfield, but slips on the greasy turf and the attack ends. At the next phase of play Munster are ruled offside in the ruck. Sexton will step up to kick from goal from wide left of goal, just outside the Munster 22-metre line. The Thomond Park hush descends in respect of the kicker: Sexton smacks it over - cool as you like.
63 mins O'Gara looks like an extra from Rocky IV with a massively swollen cheek, but he's doing the business all over the park.
Leinster win their own lineout and set up in midfield. D'Arcy tries to skip away but Mafi hauls him down.
62 mins Munster 21-20 Leinster (O'Gara penalty)
Munster back on the attack and grind through the gears as they ruck it forward. O'Driscoll comes in to make a tackle and fails to roll away, meaning he is sin-binned! O'Gara will kick the resulting penalty at goal, from way out on the halfway, but right in front of the posts. He strikes it with huge power and the ball floats over the bar. Munster lead the match.
61 mins Nacewa charges up the middle at Munster. He feeds Fitzgerald who carves through the Munster midfield, but he bumps into Strauss and is done for crossing! Fitzgerald was away only for that accidental crossing.
60 mins Scrum Leinster - the Blues pick and go with Heaslip. Munster read it and force the big number eight back inside. Munster steal the ball and put in to touch.
59 mins Superb game - Munster on top. Leinster fighting to regain the upper hand.
58 mins Munster kick to touch and win the lineout. The reds go wide to Mafi on the left touchline, but Murphy gets in the way and the ball hits his chest and goes forward for a knock on. Scrum Leinster.
57 mins Leinster win the lineout and go wide left , but lose it in contact and Munster win a penalty as Leinster are done for holding on.
55 mins Munster win the scrum and then spin wide to Jones who cuts in off the wing and smashes into the Leinster backline. But Munster lose it in the ruck and try to break with Cian Healy. Jonne Murphy races up and deliberately knocks down a Healy pass out to Sexton. Penalty Leinster. Sexton kicks up the line and makes touch.
54 mins Munster kick long to Nacewa, who is tackled by Felix Jones in the contact, Munster are awarded a scrum as Leinster spill forward in the ruck.
54 mins Leamy is on for Ryan for Munster.
52 mins Munster 18-20 (O'Gara penalty)
Munster scrum: Leinster are penalised as Mike Ross is found guilty of dragging down the scrum. O'Gara will kick this from wide right of the posts, on the white marking for the 22. No mistake - two points between the teams.
51 mins Munster are killing Leinster from 1-15 at the moment. The Red team have a scrum on the Leinster 22 as The Fields of Athenry belts out around Thomond.
2048 Munster go forward in midfield and push Leinster back with every phases of attack. Felix Jones makes several yards on a surging run. Mafi is popped the ball in midield and he zig zags inside. Munster go through phase after phase and reach the Leinster 22. They go wide to Howlett who is stopped by Horgan on the 22-metre line. At the next phase the ball won' come out of the ruck, but Munster are going forward and get the put in.
2035 Alright! At the bogball wishing I was watching the ruggers! Keeping up to date with the fantastic commentry! Leinster, Leinster, Leinster! Hopefully catch the 2nd half in the big tree! Lions! Jonathan Leech.
47 mins Munster 15-20 Leinster (O'Gara penalty)
Munster kick alon the line and from the next lineout Leinster pull the Munster catcher down, the ref says penalty Munster again. O'Gara to kick from wide left of the goal. Perfect kick from ROG. Munster are back in this one.
46 mins Leinster lineout: Strauss hits Cullen - just. The Leinster captain taps back and O'Brien rescues the loose ball. Leinster take into contact, but lose it in there and Munster win a penalty for Leinster holding on.
In that ruck Paul O'Connell has injured himself. The God of Munster looks like he's about to cry as he clutches his ankle. It could be broken. He comes off for Mick O'Driscoll. Every Ireland fan cross your fingers he's okay....
42 mins Munster 12-20 Leinster (Warwick penalty)
Munster rumble forward with their pack. Wallace drives hard as he hands off the Leinster defenders. But Leinster turnover and Boss kicks down the line. Munster gather and feed Howlett who races clear down the right wing. He is almost away, but is hauled down. Munster go back inside where they set up a ruck. Then out wide to O'Connell, who can't find a way through.
Finally Munster go wide left where Murray feeds out to Keith Earls, the pass fails to make it but Leinster are done for offside. Warwick will kick the penalty. From wide left of the goal, inside the 22, he gets it. That is the last action of Warwick's cameo as a stitched-up Ronan O'Gara returns to the fray.
41 mins Munster attack from the off and O'Gara chips ahead as he he enters the Leinster 22. As he follows it up he clashes heads with Fitzgerald. O'Gara must be taken off as a blood substitution for Paul Warwick. O'Gara has a cut under his eye.
2024 The news from Liberty Stadium, Swansea, is that Ospreys and Cardiff have drawn 21-21. It was a kicking-fest with Dan Biggar and Stephen Jones kicking all the points. That draw is good for Munster and Leinster though as both Welsh teams are in the play-off positions mix.
2020 Leinster look more dangerous all over the pitch. Their scrum, lineout, backline, kicking and defence were all superior in that first half. But, not by much. Munster are still in touch, if they can hold Leinster out while Murphy sees out his sin-binning, they can still win this. It's uphill though.
HALF-TIME: MUNSTER 9-20 LEINSTER
40 mins Munster kick long through Felix Jones - he finds touch.
That is the last action of a first half in which Munster made errors a plenty; Sexton kicked like Johnny Wilkinson does; and Nacewa and Horgan combined to score a classy Leinster try. Munster must dig deep to pull this back.
37 mins Munster 9-20 Leinster (Sexon penalty)
Munster launch an attack immediately. They maul into the Leinster 22. But, at the crucial moment they lose in the contact and Boss steals it and hoofs downfield. Somehow Munster don't secure possession at the next ruck either and Leinster steal. Strauss is popped a pass and he trundles in at the Munster line. He is tackled short in the Munster 22 and tries to feed Nacewa - the pass doesn't make it and the attack ends. Munster are penalised for offside in the tackle though and Sexton will kick at goal from wide left of the sticks. Easy.
34 mins Munster 9-17 Leinster (Sexton penalty)
Sexton kicks to touch in the Munster half. Strauss to throw for Leinster: he hits Hines who passes to Boss off the top.
Heaslip is fed and batters the Munster line. Boss then feeds Nacewa who joins the line. It's still Leinster as Healy drives forward, before Horgan has a go. Leinster hold on to it, but Munster have their hands all over the ball on the ground. Jonne Murphy makes a tackle, but does not roll away - trying to kill the ball. The referee has warned Munster about this already and shows Jonne Murphy a yellow card. He is sin-binned.
Sexton will kick the resulting penalty from wide right on the touchline, around the 22-metre line. It's an awesome kick and sails over.
32 mins Scrum Leinster: It is solid and Leinster win and move wide left. It comes to McLaughlin in midield and he barges forward. Leinster then kick long to Howlett, who kicks long and Jones chases, but Leinster win it. Munster fail to roll away at the next ruck and Leinster get a penalty.
31 mins O'Gara kicks to touch and Munster win their own lineout: the red team go wide to midfield and set up there.
Munster then spin wide right, but the pass to Ryan is awful and he knocks it on. Leinster scrum.
29 mins Boss feeds the Leinster scrum on the Munster 10-metre line: it is solid and Leinster win. Leinster go to midfield where Drico hits a switch with D'Arcy - but there is no way through. At an ensuing ruck McLaughlin joins from the side - Munster penalty. Following that the ball was kicked away and the referee moves the free forward 10 metres.
28 mins Leinster win it and spin wide left, D'Arcy tries to feed Fitzgerald but Ryan knocks it on as he tackles D'Arcy and Leinster win a scrum in the Munster half.
27 mins Munster kick long to Leinster, Nacewa receives and Leinster set up before O'Brien and Strauss pick and go. Leinster decide to kick long but it is too long and dribbles over into the in-goal area. Munster touch down for a 22-metre drop out.
25 mins Munster 9-14 (O'Gara penalty)
Finally Brian O'Driscoll is found guilty of not rolling away at the tackle and Munster win a penalty.
O'Gara will kick from wide right and outside the 22. Tough kick, but the egg ball stutters over the bar. Three more points.
23 mins Munster attack: they go wide left and ruck forward, making hard yards. O'Gara feeds O'Connell who drops it, but it goes backwards and Munster regather.
Munster pick and go, pick and go. Leinster hit every tackle, every time.
20 mins Munster 6-14 Leinster (Horgan try)
Scrum Leinster on the halfway: the scrum collapses and must be reset. Second time around Munster are penalised for engaging too early. Third scrum: this time is is solid and Leinster win it. The ball is spun out to O'Driscoll, who passes back inside to Nacewa who joins the Leinster backline in the midfield.
He sells a dummy and bursts through the middle. Nacewa gallops in on goal and grubbers a kick to the corner where Horgan collapses over the line, scooping the ball into his hands and holding off Mafi at the same time.
The referee goes to to the TMO and he says TRY!
Sexton misses the conversion.
19 mins From the restart O'Gara kicks it out on the full. Very unusual mistake from O'Gara.
18 mins Munster 6-9 Leinster (Sexton penalty)
Munster pull down the Leinster lineout and concede a penalty. O'Connell was pulling down McLaughlin.
Sexton will kick this one too. From wide left of the posts, outside the 22, he will go for it. He strikes it very clean and straight and gets it right.
16 mins Munster go wide left but there is no space to exploit. After a ruck O'Gara pops to the corner where Nacewa is waiting to feed Horgan who counters with ball in hand. Leinster make the Munster half, outside the 22. Munster turn it over and knock it in to touch. Leinster throw.
15 mins O'Gara goes long to Leinster, who claim it and then set up the ruck. It then goes wide to O'Driscoll who kicks to Felix Jones - there is some aeriel ping pong, before Drico hammers it up the line for touch in Munster's half.
14 mins Munster 6-6 Leinster (Sexton penalty)
Murray kicks long to Leinster, who run it back, before winning a penalty at the ruck as du Preez is penalised for offside at the ruck.
Sexton will kick from wide left, outside the 22. A tough kick. The number 10 gets it and gets it well. Scores level.
12 mins Sexton kicks deep and Couglan claims again. He is put down by Fitzgerald. From the ruck Munster pick and go with Wallace - who is hammered back in the contact area.
10 mins Munster 6-3 Leinster (O'Gara penalty)
Scrum Munster: the scrum is rock solid from both packs. Coughlan picks and goes. Leinster are found on the wrong side in midfield and Munster have a penalty. From right in front of the goal O'Gara will kick. He thought about going kick, but O'Connell said take the points.
Easy kick and O'Gara slots it like usual.
9 mins The lineout goes over the top but Buckley salvages the loose ball. Munster drive to the line before being held up at the whitewash. Wallace was driving hard for Munster there.
The ball is going forward, so Munster get a scrum put-in.
8 mins O'Gara restarts for Munster. Leinster lose it and Buckley goes barging forward - handing off as he goes.
Play is called back for a penalty to Munster. The third penalty Leinster have conceded. O'Gara kicks the penalty up the line for a Munster lineout.
5 mins Munster 3-3 Leinster (Sexton penalty)
Leinster to kick off to Munster. Sexton takes it again and goes deep again to Coughlan. Leinster smack him in the tackle and Munster lose possession. The blue team drive it forward, before Sexton kicks to the corner, and Fitzgerald tries to get on to it - the kick is too long and bobbles into touch.
Play is called back for an earlier infringement by Munster at the ruck and Sexton will kick a penalty from just to the left of the posts in the Munster 22. No problemo.
4 mins Munster 3-0 Leinster (O'Gara penalty)
From that Munster maul the Leinster pack again drag down the Munster pack. From in front of the posts, O'Gara will go for goal.
From the right of posts O'Gara pops it over - easy as you like.
3 mins Munster drive a maul up the middle and Leinster are found guilty of pulling down the maul and its a penalty for Munster. O'Gara chips to touch.
Varley takes the lineout and hits D Ryan. Munster then maul into the Leinster 22.
1 mins Sexton kicks long to Coughlan who claims as Munster set up the ruck then go wide out the line. Murray picks from teh ruck and box kicks long to Heaslip. The number eight claims and Leinster ruck it. Boss goes wide to Sexton who kicks deep to Munster.
Wallace claims and feeds to ROG who punts deep to Leinster. The ball is returned to Munster before O'Gara chips over the top for Mafi to gather - he fails to and Leinster are in control.
1932 Sexton will kick off.
1929 Ronan O'Gara leads out the team. It is supposedly his 200th cap for Munster, however, some records say it is in fact his 202nd. Leinster's Shane Horgan is making his 200th appearance for his province though - we can be sure of that fact.
1930 As mentioned before, the teams are listed below.
1929 The crowd is very, very red in Thomond as the Munster fans try to jam the stadium full of partisan feeling - in the hope of adding a 16th man feeling to Munster's psyche for the match.
1928 The house is full in Limerick and the speakers are battering out some operatic number as Ryle Nugent greets TV viewers - he wasn't doing the opera though, sadly.
1927 Mary McAleese is in situ in Thomond, with her hubbie in tow.
1926 Best of luck to the Munster men from the Munster Rugby Supports Club, USA Branch.
Mumhan Abú,
Séamus, Munster RugbyUSA@mac.com
1924 Biggar and Parks have slotted more penalties to make it Ospreys 15-9 Cardiff.
1914 Dan Biggar has kicked all of Ospreys points thus far, while Dan Parks has hit a drop goal and penalty for Cardiff.
1913 In today's other Magners League ties Aironi came so close to getting a second win of the season, but the Italian team went down 16-17 to Glasgow.
Ospreys and Cardiff are currenly in action. The score there is 12-6 to Ospreys after 37 minutes of play.
1911 For those of you who have a modicum of interest in the Ulster Bank League, the semi-finals of the First Division were decided today. Get the news on that here.
1909 Don't know who is lining out for both teams? Scroll down to check the starting XVs.
1908 So folks, get all your biased, insightful, poetic or slanderous comments in to me at the mail address above and let the debate begin. Balanced comment also welcome!
1900 TV coverage has just started, for those of you that are in Ireland, watch that through the link above. If not, you know the drill by now I'm sure - you're stuck with me for the next two hours, waiting for your computer to update, while the internet exchange in Delhi, Dakar, Dallas or wherever you are, slowly updates with the latest warbles that come from this website! Enjoy.
1635 Action gets underway at 7.30pm in Thomond Park, Limerick, this evening. I'lll be back shortly before kick-off to bring you coverage of this juicy clash. Until then, here are the teams for today's game:
MUNSTER:
15 FB Felix Jones
14 W Doug Howlett
13 C Johne Murphy
12 C Lifeimi Mafi
11 W Keith Earls
10 FH Ronan O'Gara
9 SH Conor Murray
1 P Wian du Preez
2 H Damien Varley
3 P Tony Buckley
4 L Donncha O'Callaghan
5 L Paul O'Connell
6 F Donnacha Ryan
7 F David Wallace
8 N8 James Coughlan
Replacements:
16 Mike Sherry
17 Marcus Horan
18 John Hayes
19 Mick O'Driscoll
20 Denis Leamy
21 Peter Stringer
22 Paul Warwick
23 Sam Tuitupou
LEINSTER:
15 FB Isa Nacewa
14 W Shane Horgan
13 C Brian O'Driscoll
12 C Gordon D'Arcy
11 W Luke Fitzgerald
10 FH Jonathan Sexton
9 SH Isaac BosS
1 P Cian Healy
2 H Richardt Strauss
3 P Mike Ross
4 L Leo Cullen
5 L Nathan Hines
6 F Kevin McLaughlin
7 F Sean O'Brien
8 N8 Jamie Heaslip
Replacements:
16 Aaron Dundon
17 Heinke van der Merwe
18 Stanley Wright
19 Devin Toner
20 Rhys Ruddock
21 Eoin Reddan
22 Ian Madigan
23 Fergus McFadden
1630 Leinster have the hoodoo over Munster with five wins on the trot. Munster have to go back to Sunday, 28 September, 2008 to remember their last victory over their fierce rivals. Can they exact revenge and stop Leinster's fix for six? Brendan Cole says not, read his views here.
