EARLY ON, THIS had the look of a game that could quickly get away from Connacht. Ultimately, it did, Connacht shipping a whopping 52 points on a bitterly cold night at Aviva Stadium, in a game where a dominant second half performance saw Leinster romp to victory, extending a two-point half-time lead to a 35-point win.
It wasn’t the smoothest Leinster performance, with their error and penalty count both proving problematic in the opening 40, but they were sharper and slicker as they tore apart their visitors in the second half.
Connacht started slow before recovering well in an entertaining first half, but after the break it was all one-way traffic.
Inside eight minutes Stuart Lancaster’s side were already 14-0 down and looking well off the pace of a Leinster side who started with intent. Before kick-off, Leinster had been forced into a couple of changes – Harry Byrne and Rabah Slimani withdrawing from the squad with Andrew Osborne and Jerry Cahir coming into the matchday 23, was Jack Boyle bumped into the starting team and Andrew Porter switched into the replacements.
The hosts had their first try after just four minutes, Dan Sheehan scoring in the corner following a move sparked by a quick-tap Jamison Gibson-Park penalty, with Tommy O’Brien twice involved either side of a switch of the ball with Will Connors.
Dan Sheehan scored Leinster's first try. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The second arrived four minutes later, Prendergast chipping over the top for O’Brien, and Charlie Tector on hand to profit after Connacht’s David Hawkshaw failed to deal with the dropping ball. Prendergast, back at 10 after rotating out of the side for the win over Munster, was on target with his first two conversions.
Already Leinster held a commanding lead but a Prendergast error saw the game swing around the 15 minute mark. The Leinster out-half sized up a kick to the corner but misjudged his effort, and the ball bounced out on the full. A major let off for Connacht, who would soon be attacking in the Leinster 22 for the first time.
Just before the clock hit 20 minutes the visitors were on the scoreboard, Dylan Tierney-Martin taking a quick-tap and spinning out of a big hit from Sheehan and Connors to stretch out an arm and score. Sam Gilbert added the conversion and Connacht were in the game.
Connacht's Dylan Tierney-Martin scores a try. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Leinster’s error count started to creep up. On 26 minutes they lost Joe McCarthy to a yellow card after persistent infringements. Gilbert used the opportunity to tap over another three points.
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With half an hour played Leinster’s penalty count was at nine.
Connacht were showing huge heart, throwing everything they had at the 14 men in blue. Four minutes from the break they jumped into the lead – Finlay Bealham burrowing over. Gilbert’s conversion left Connacht three points up.
David Hawkshaw is tackled by Leinster's Will Connors. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
There was time for one more twist before half time, Leinster scoring off their first attack with McCarthy back on the pitch, Prendergast running through off a short pass from Gibson-Park after good work from JJ Kenny and O’Brien out wide. Prendergast couldn’t convert, but the teams went in with Leinster holding a two-point lead.
The teams were unchanged after the break, but there a change of referee, Andrew Brace not returning as Keane Davison took his place.
It took Leinster five minutes to strike the first blow of the second half and bag their bonus point score, Brian Deeny showing good strength to force his way over, with Prendergast converting.
Connacht’s effort was fading, and Leinster started to pull clear, O’Brien slipping through a couple of tackles to score under the posts, Cullen’s men striking on first phase off a lineout with Prendergast showing slick hands to send O’Brien through before clipping over the extra two.
Leinster's Tommy O'Brien on the way to scoring a try. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
It was now about damage limitation for the men from the west. Just after the hour, Leinster had six, a strong scrum providing the platform for Tector to run in his second.
O’Brien was the next man to register a brace, coming in on a good support line after Tector broke the line and played a smart pass out the back. Prendergast added his sixth conversion, and Leinster were closing in on 50 points, leading 47-17.
Leinster tipped over the 50-point mark when JJ Kenny ran clear with five left to play, Prendergast dragging his conversion effort wide, his team already long home and hosed.
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Dominant second half powers Leinster to 8-try defeat of Connacht
Leinster 52
Connacht 17
EARLY ON, THIS had the look of a game that could quickly get away from Connacht. Ultimately, it did, Connacht shipping a whopping 52 points on a bitterly cold night at Aviva Stadium, in a game where a dominant second half performance saw Leinster romp to victory, extending a two-point half-time lead to a 35-point win.
It wasn’t the smoothest Leinster performance, with their error and penalty count both proving problematic in the opening 40, but they were sharper and slicker as they tore apart their visitors in the second half.
Connacht started slow before recovering well in an entertaining first half, but after the break it was all one-way traffic.
Inside eight minutes Stuart Lancaster’s side were already 14-0 down and looking well off the pace of a Leinster side who started with intent. Before kick-off, Leinster had been forced into a couple of changes – Harry Byrne and Rabah Slimani withdrawing from the squad with Andrew Osborne and Jerry Cahir coming into the matchday 23, was Jack Boyle bumped into the starting team and Andrew Porter switched into the replacements.
The hosts had their first try after just four minutes, Dan Sheehan scoring in the corner following a move sparked by a quick-tap Jamison Gibson-Park penalty, with Tommy O’Brien twice involved either side of a switch of the ball with Will Connors.
The second arrived four minutes later, Prendergast chipping over the top for O’Brien, and Charlie Tector on hand to profit after Connacht’s David Hawkshaw failed to deal with the dropping ball. Prendergast, back at 10 after rotating out of the side for the win over Munster, was on target with his first two conversions.
Already Leinster held a commanding lead but a Prendergast error saw the game swing around the 15 minute mark. The Leinster out-half sized up a kick to the corner but misjudged his effort, and the ball bounced out on the full. A major let off for Connacht, who would soon be attacking in the Leinster 22 for the first time.
Just before the clock hit 20 minutes the visitors were on the scoreboard, Dylan Tierney-Martin taking a quick-tap and spinning out of a big hit from Sheehan and Connors to stretch out an arm and score. Sam Gilbert added the conversion and Connacht were in the game.
Leinster’s error count started to creep up. On 26 minutes they lost Joe McCarthy to a yellow card after persistent infringements. Gilbert used the opportunity to tap over another three points.
With half an hour played Leinster’s penalty count was at nine.
Connacht were showing huge heart, throwing everything they had at the 14 men in blue. Four minutes from the break they jumped into the lead – Finlay Bealham burrowing over. Gilbert’s conversion left Connacht three points up.
There was time for one more twist before half time, Leinster scoring off their first attack with McCarthy back on the pitch, Prendergast running through off a short pass from Gibson-Park after good work from JJ Kenny and O’Brien out wide. Prendergast couldn’t convert, but the teams went in with Leinster holding a two-point lead.
The teams were unchanged after the break, but there a change of referee, Andrew Brace not returning as Keane Davison took his place.
It took Leinster five minutes to strike the first blow of the second half and bag their bonus point score, Brian Deeny showing good strength to force his way over, with Prendergast converting.
Connacht’s effort was fading, and Leinster started to pull clear, O’Brien slipping through a couple of tackles to score under the posts, Cullen’s men striking on first phase off a lineout with Prendergast showing slick hands to send O’Brien through before clipping over the extra two.
It was now about damage limitation for the men from the west. Just after the hour, Leinster had six, a strong scrum providing the platform for Tector to run in his second.
O’Brien was the next man to register a brace, coming in on a good support line after Tector broke the line and played a smart pass out the back. Prendergast added his sixth conversion, and Leinster were closing in on 50 points, leading 47-17.
Leinster tipped over the 50-point mark when JJ Kenny ran clear with five left to play, Prendergast dragging his conversion effort wide, his team already long home and hosed.
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Sheehan, Tector (2), Prendergast, Deeny, O’Brien (2), Kenny
Conversions – Prendergast [6/8]
Connacht scorers:
Tries – Tierney-Martin, Bealham
Penalty – Gilbert [1/1]
Conversions – Gilbert [2/2]
LEINSTER: Ciarán Frawley (Andrew Osborne, 65); Tommy O’Brien, Hugh Cooney, Charlie Tector, JJ Kenny; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park (Luke McGrath,, 64); Jack Boyle (Andrew Porter, 36), Dan Sheehan (capt) (Gus McCarthy, 64), Thomas Clarkson (Jerry Cahir, 64); Joe McCarthy (Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 69), Brian Deeny; Diarmuid Mangan (Max Deegan, 50), Will Connors, Jack Conan.
Yellow card: J McCarthy, 26
CONNACHT: Sam Gilbert; Chay Mullins (Harry West, 53), David Hawkshaw (Cathal Forde, 64), Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy; Josh Ioane, Matthew Devine (Ben Murphy, HIA 11); Denis Buckley (Billy Bohan, 53), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Eoin de Buitlear, 53), Finlay Bealham (Fiachna Barrett, 53); Joe Joyce (Darragh Murray, 60), David O’Connor; Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (capt) (Paul Boyle, 51), Sean Jansen (Paul Boyle, blood 6-15).
Referee: Andrew Brace [IRFU].
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