Leinster 45

Connacht 8

John Fallon reports from the Sportsground

IT TOOK LEINSTER some time to make their extra man count but Leo Cullen’s men dominated the second-half to run in six tries without reply in front of a full house of 8,129 at the Sportsground.

Connacht centre Tom Daly sent off after two and a half minutes for a high challenge on Ciaran Frawley.

Leinster were actually down to 14 men at that stage after winger Tommy O’Brien was binned for taking out Connacht lock Niall Murray as he collected the kick-off.

Referee Chris Busby was kept busy in a fiery derby clash, the first of three meetings between these sides in the next four weeks, although this encounter will have little bearing on the Champions Cup games when the internationals return.

Leinster hit the front just after they got back to 15, with Connacht gifting them the opportunity with a crooked throw from Dave Heffernan on their own five-metre line and while Andy Friend’s men defended wave after wave, the champions went wide through their half-backs and Rory O’Loughlin scored in the left corner, with Ross Byrne converting.

But Connacht dug in and were full value for their 8-7 lead as they made light of being down a man. They scrummaged with seven when Leinster had the put-in, with Conor Oliver dropping back, and didn’t concede an inch and then reverted to eight when it was their ball and won penalties.

Jack Carty reduced the margin with a penalty after 21 minutes when Max Deegan was off his feet and then the pressure from a fired-up Connacht side yielded a try just before the interval.

They went to the corner with a penalty and then opted for a scrum in front of the posts and with another penalty advantage, Carty slung the ball wide over the head of full-back Jimmy O’Brien for Tiernan O’Halloran to time his run to perfection and score. Carty was off target with the conversion from the right but Connacht went in at the break with the home support in full voice.

But it was a completely different story after the restart. Leinster sorted out their set-piece and started to move Connacht all over the pitch, making full use of the extra man as they ran in six tries without reply in a one-sided half.

David Hawkshaw, who replaced Ross Byrne before the break after the out-half went off for a HIA, scored after 53 minutes against the side he will be joining in the summer after good breaks by Tommy O’Brien and Rhys Ruddock.

Hawkshaw converted from the right to make it 14-8 and Leinster never looked back from there with Ciaran Frawley impressing on his return from a facial injury while Tommy O’Brien, debutant Chris Cosgrove and Jamie Osborne were full of running.

Inevitably, the tries flowed as Luke McGrath punished sloppy defending to dart in and score after 56 minutes and Frawley crowned an excellent game by crossing 16 minutes from time.

Tommy O’Brien ran in a brace as Connacht folded in the closing minutes and Max Deegan also got in on the scoring act as Leo Cullen’s men coasted to an easy win.

Connacht scorers:

Try: Tiernan O’Halloran

Pen: J Carty (1 from 1)

Leinster scorers:

Tries: Tommy O’Brien (2), Rory O’Loughlin, David Hawkshaw, Luke McGrath, Ciaran Frawley, Max Deegan.

Cons: David  Hawkshaw (4 from 6), R Byrne (1 from 1)

Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran; John Porch (McNulty 79), Tom Farrell (Sammy Arnold 56), Tom Daly, Oran McNulty (Diarmuid Kilgallen 45); Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion (Caolin Blade 65); Denis Buckley (Matthew Burke 30), Dave Heffernan (Jonny Murphy 65), Jack Aungier (Greg McGrath 54); Oisin Dowling, Niall Murray (Ultan Dillane 54); Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver (Paul Boyle 62), Jarrad Butler.

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien (Chris Cosgrove 65); Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Ciarán Frawley (Chris Cosgrove 32-41), Rory O’Loughlin; Ross Byrne (David Hawkshaw 38), Luke McGrath (Nick McCarthy 65); Peter Dooley (Ed Byrne 50), James Tracy (Sean Cronin 67), Michael Ala’alatoa (Tom Clsrkson 64); Ross Molony, Joe McCarthy (Josh Murphy 65); Rhys Ruddock (Martin Moloney 66), Scott Penny, Max Deegan.

Replacements: Seán Cronin, Ed Byrne, Thomas Clarkson, Josh Murphy, Martin Moloney, Nick McCarthy, David Hawkshaw, Chris Cosgrave.

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU).