Benetton 5
Leinster 35
JACK CONAN TURNED in a Player of the Match performance as Leinster dismantled an underwhelming Benetton to cement their place at the top of the United Rugby Championship table.
Conan — who was linked this week with a possible move to French giants Racing 92 — scored one of four first-half tries as Leinster put their hosts to the sword in a clinical opening 40.
It was a routine tune-up for Leo Cullen’s side ahead of next week’s Croke Park showdown against Munster, though there will be concerns over the fitness of both Ronan Kelleher and Jimmy O’Brien who came off injured in the first half.
Leinster opened their account in the 10th minute when Benetton loosehead Mirco Spagnolo collapsed a lineout maul as the visitors looked primed to drive over, leaving referee Craig Evans with no option but to award the penalty try.
Leinster needed little more than 60 seconds to double that early advantage. Ciarán Frawley, getting his first opportunity of the season to stake a claim on the 10 jersey, started a slick move with a dummy and offload on his own 22, and finished it a few passes later by running in virtually unopposed under the posts, before tacking on the extras to make it 14-0.
Conan then got in on the act, finishing in the corner for his third try of the campaign, before captain Caelan Doris powered over from close range for an early bonus point — both converted by Frawley to bring up a 28-0 lead with just 25 minutes played.
O’Brien’s knock shortly before the break prompted a backline reshuffle with Ross Byrne coming off the bench to take over at out-half and the impressive Frawley redeployed into midfield.
The intensity petered out in the second half as Cullen started to ring the changes, RG Snyman departing after 50 minutes of his debut to be replaced by Ryan Baird.
Baird then saw yellow following successive Leinster infringements at the breakdown, allowing Benetton to finally get on the scoresheet as replacement hooker Marco Manfredi came up with the ball following a determined lineout maul, before Lee Barron wrapped up Leinster’s victory late on.
BENETTON: Matt Gallagher; Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Malakai Fekitoa, Paolo Odogwu; Jacob Umaga (Leonardo Marin 56), Alessandro Garbisi (Andy Uren 50); Mirco Spagnolo (Enzo Avaca 58), Siua Maile (Marco Manfredi 56), Simone Ferrari (Destiny Aminu 58); Niccolo Cannone, Riccardo Favretto (Federico Ruzza 45); Seb Negri (Aminu 18-26, Lorenzo Cannone 45), Manuel Zuliani (Giulio Marini 56), Michele Lamaro.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien (Ross Byrne 35), Garry Ringrose (Scott Penny 70), Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Ciarán Frawley, Jamison-Gibson Park (Fintan Gunne 67); Andrew Porter (Michael Milne 56), Ronan Kelleher (Lee Barron 11), Tadhg Furlong (Tom Clarkson 56); Joe McCarthy (Brian Deeny 56), RG Snyman (Ryan Baird 50); Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Referee: Craig Evans
Regardless of how Saturday goes jbm must be one of the coolest men in the country. Come on the rebels bring liam home.
JBM is running scare , he knows his team have no answer to the constant on slaughter from Clare
Im sure he is with Clare’s terrifying roll of honor. Jbm has fried much bigger fish than Davy an his small fish.
You would think you were not biting your finger nails for a point in non added on time! Clare can’t play better and Cork won’t play as bad. Verdict Cork
Cork are unstoppable…..once they’ve the referee on their side.which they’ve had for the last 3games why should Saturday be any different
Cool !!! Jim Gavin makes him look like a nervous wreck
Jim who? Oh right, the Dublin manager – who felt the ref was against his team (very cool attitude) – even though his team won, he still decided to take a shot at the ref ( extremely cool)
Yeah very cool guy. Jim …. Who?
Now back to the man in question – JBM. All Ireland medals… as a player & manager, hurling and football.
Now that’s cool. ;)
Jim Gavin one year in the job one All Ireland now that’s cool
Were u from nelly ya sausage cork the best county in gaa with the most all Ireland in all codes ha ha and no one near us rebels Abu
Jim Gavin, the man who said he’d walk if his team were guilty of cynical fouling after the Kerry game!!! Considering the 10 minute reel of exemplary cynicism towards the end of the final…Dublin are like Liverpool, always the victim, never guilty!
JBM is a real class act. His character demands respect. A dying bread unfortunately
Breed not bread champ
Sorry mark its that dam auto correct again. I will impress you in my next spelling exam I swear
It should never be a replay.. another 20 mins hurling and if that fails to find a winner, sudden death shots from the 65!!!!!
And if that ends in a draw the players then starting flaking the crap out of each other with the hurleys where last man standing lifts the cup for his county.
Similar to the Hunger Games, interesting idea :)
The dude abides …
“It’s more of a game now than it is a final”, says JBM. Maybe the quality of the final will be all the better for this.
Jimmy Barry Murphy is the greatest player of the last 40 years, a modest unassuming man, a credit to his city and county and club. A Munster man that those of us not from Cork willingly support everything he does.
So for that reason, the fact that he is everything that Fitzgerald is not, gwan the Rebels,
Henry shefflin is The best player of the last 40 years! Brian Whelan may also surpass jimmy Barry Murphy. To come think about it wat the f##k u smokin. Lots of guys in the past 40 years better than jimmy as a player. Wat a restarted statement. Don’t get me wrong, great player, great manager and great sportsman. But u my friend seem
To have an extra
Chromosome!!
If Shefflin is your candidate then you never saw JBM in his prime.
My chromosomes are none of your business by the way.
You Clare boys are in for a batein like ye have got all yere lives.
They should rename Murphys Red Ale to Jimmy Barrys, guaranteed to to boost sales…around Cork anyway! What a man!
A lot of whinging about the day of the game.
I suppose the press asking jbm question on his thoughts on the day and he is giving an answer with his views to said question.
Couldn’t agree more with JBM.This match should have been played instead of the ladies game and not next Sunday where really a lot of the fizz will have gone out of it.poor timing on a Saturday with people working and loadsa congestion with supporters comming in to Dublin on the same road .
Don’t see why the women’s football final should be moved,it’s a high profile occasion which has it’s date marked in the calendar since the beginning of the year.Move the hurling back another week if it’s so important to keep with tradition.
Bullsh1t..how many gonna b at croke park for the ladies… 30,000
If its a nice day n they go to arnotts if its rainin.serious own goal by the gaa here.
Replays are a bit out-dated. I can’t think of any other sport that still uses replays to find a winner. Why not just play sudden death extra-time? A final should be final.