Leinster v Munster, RaboDirect Pro12
Munster 19 Leinster 15: Ian
Keatley steered Munster to a hard-earned RaboDirect Pro12 victory at Thomond
Park as they broke Leinster’s two-year stranglehold on this fiercely-contested
interprovincial derby.
Man-of-the-match Keatley
produced his most authoritative display in the Munster number 10 jersey to
date, creating the game’s only try for Keith Earls and reeling off five
successful kicks from seven attempts for a 14-point tally.
The result saw Munster
deservedly end a four-match losing streak against Leinster, who were without
Brian O’Driscoll due to a calf strain.
After a stop-start opening
quarter, Munster edged their way to a 10-9 interval lead with Keatley creating,
and converting, a classy 33rd-minute try for Earls.
Keatley’s opposite number
Ian Madigan, who had been sin-binned in the previous play, landed two
first-half penalties which were added to by a Fergus McFadden kick on the
stroke of half-time.
There was little between the
provinces in the second period, but Munster’s forwards exerted greater control,
especially in the scrum, and Keatley’s right boot did the rest, landing three
more penalties to two from Madigan.
Leinster had taken a
third-minute lead, with a brave catch from Rob Kearney setting them up for some
strong early phases. the product of which was a successful Madigan penalty from
the 10-metre line.
Both Madigan and Keatley
then missed penalties before the former made it 6-0 with a kick from close to
the Munster uprights.
The hosts quickly responded
and marched downfield to win a penalty which allowed Keatley to get them off
the mark.
The Munster outhalf took
centre-stage approaching the interval, sparking the long-range break that led
to Madigan’s sin-binning and Earls’s subsequent try owed much to the accuracy
of Keatley’s booming cross-field kick.
Earls had gone close to
scoring just moments earlier, David Kearney scrambling back to deny him but at
the ensuing ruck Madigan needlessly came in at the side to play the ball and
French referee Romain Poite reached for his yellow card.
Munster swiftly made their
numerical advantage count, mauling up close from a lineout before Keatley
booted the ball wide to the lurking Earls who gathered on the right wing and
deftly dodged past Rob Kearney to score.
The hosts wanted to build on
that try but Leinster’s pack carved out a late penalty for McFadden to slot
from inside the 22, making it a one-point game at the break.
Munster had to replace their
captain Peter O’Mahony, who took a knee to the head, but they kept on course
thanks to a well-struck Keatley penalty early in the second half.
The play remained scrappy
for the most part with Keatley missing with a long-range drop goal effort.
Jamie Heaslip and Cian Healy
combined to get Leinster back into scoring range, their hard work helping to
earn a penalty which Madigan stuck between the posts from close range to make
it 13-12 and two minutes later Madigan put his side back in front from further
out.
That 15-13 advantage was
quickly erased by Keatley nearing the hour mark though, and he made it 19-15
soon after with another successful kick.
Leinster suffered a blow
when they lost Lote Tuqiri, who deputised for the injured O’Driscoll at outside
centre, to a hamstring injury and there were no late heroics from the defending
Pro12 champions as Munster, with a fit-again Paul O’Connell driving them
forward, closed out a morale-boosting win.
MUNSTER: Jones; Earls,
Laulala, Downey, Zebo; Keatley, Williams; Kilcoyne, Sherry, Archer; D Ryan,
O’Connell; P O’Mahony, Ronan, Coughlan. Replacements: Stander for O’Mahony (41
mins), Murray for Williams (53 mins), , Cronin for Kilcoyne, Varley for Sherry
(both 55 mins), Hurley for Jones, Botha for Archer, Donncha O’Callaghan for
Ronan (all 68mins). Not Used: Hanrahan.
LEINSTER: R Kearney;
McFadden, Tuqiri, D’Arcy, D Kearney; Madigan, Reddan; Healy, S Cronin, Ross;
McCarthy, Toner; K McLaughlin, O’Brien, Heaslip. Replacements: Fitzgerald for
McFadden, , Boss for Reddan (both 55 mins), J McGrath for Healy, Ryan for
O’Brien (both 64 mins), Dundon for S Cronin, Moore for Ross (both 68 mins),
Gopperth for Tuqiri (74mins). Not Used: Ruddock. Sin Bin: Madigan (32).
Referee: Romain Poite
(France).
Attendance: 20,646