EVEN WHEN MUNSTER were in control, you wondered how long they could hang on.
There was much to admire about their performance at Aviva Stadium tonight, one packed with fight and determination, but that can only carry you so far against a team of Leinster’s quality if you’re not stacking up points at the other end of the field.
They’ll have other grievances – Gavin Coombes alleging a Leinster player grabbed him in the groin area – but ultimately, Leinster were full value for the win.
Clayton McMillan’s side led by eight points at half time, but wouldn’t score again until the clock was in the red. That’s just not going to cut it against the back-to-back URC champions, who scored 24 unanswered points.
Slow second halves have been something of a problem for McMillan’s men this season, having previously gone scoreless in the second periods as they lost strong leads against Glasgow and Ulster. It wasn’t necessarily the winning and losing of this game, but it’s certainly one to chalk up and work on. Discipline was another sore spot, 17 penalties to Leinster’s 12.
Tadhg Beire wins a lineout. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Munster came to Croke Park and rattled Leinster to snatch a brilliant win last season, and for a while, they threatened to do the same here.
Leinster may be the team littered with internationals – supplying 17 of Andy Farrell’s November squad, compared to Munster’s two – but it was the visitors who brought most of the quality moments in the first half.
Those opening 40 minutes started with Munster playing the game in the right half of the pitch, before Leinster started the squeeze, ending the half with 64% of the possession.
They just happened to spend most of that time slamming into brick walls as Munster took a 13-5 lead into the break.
Munster’s defensive work was outstanding and in bursts that were all too rare, the attack scintillating. As the end of the first half neared, the visitors had made seven linebreaks to Leinster’s one, leading the turnover stats on the same numbers.
And it wasn’t just Munster’s usual leaders driving it. Josh Wycherley provided a huge turnover with Leinster building pressure, searching for the opening try. Gavin Coombes snapped in to win the ball off Josh van der Flier after a typically punchy Joe McCarthy carry. Jack O’Donoghue and Alex Nankivell combined to force another. Before that, Tadhg Beirne got things rolling after a shanked Hugo Keenan kick.
The half ended with Gordon Wood, not long on the pitch, forcing the ball free following a thumping tackle. Shay McCarthy was bright and Craig Casey again worked nicely with Charlie O’Shea in the half-backs.
Dan Sheehan started at number eight. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
In limiting Leinster, Munster only needed to land the odd shot to keep their noses in front.
O’Shea, starting his first interpro and winning just his fifth Munster cap, kicked two penalties, one from close, one from just inside his own half, and played a central role in a beautiful opening try.
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The out-half, welcomed to the game with a hard late shot from Ronan Kelleher early on, needed quick hands to find Sean O’Brien, Leinster left snatching at air as red jerseys whizzed around and linked smartly. O’Brien hit Casey and Shane Daly joined the party on a lovely line to score.
Munster needed it. Twenty-six minutes in, McMillan would have felt his team had to land a blow before facing the inevitable Leinster wave.
Yet Leinster’s moments were fleeting, long phases of possession ended by a patient, physical Munster effort. Joey Carbery had some nice moments, but wasn’t steering the contest. Dan Sheehan, relocated as a number eight, carried with purpose and looked dangerous when running in the wide channels across an 80-minute shift. Robbie Henshaw brought power in midfield and Joe McCarthy was arguably the pick of the bunch, supplying the usual bite in everything he did.
But too much of it didn’t stick, and it would take more than 30 minutes for Leo Cullen’s men to get their first points on the board.
Attacking off a scrum, Jamison Gibson-Park threw a wonder pass, arching in the air and landing in the grateful arms of Tommy O’Brien.
Andy Farrell will have welcomed the sight of Gibson-Park back with his boots on, just two weeks out from Ireland’s November opener against Argentina.
This was Gibson-Park’s first appearance of the season, and it didn’t take long to shake off the early cobwebs as the 34-year-old delivered a classy showing. Even with a testing, swirling wind, his kicking was largely excellent – bar one early exit on the full – and his pass selection smart.
Munster's Shay McCarthy and Leinster's Jimmy O'Brien contest for a high ball. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
If he can play this sharply coming in from the cold, maybe Farrell should just wrap him in cotton wool now for next year’s World Cup. Enjoy the break Jamison, see you in Australia.
The Leinster nine was involved again as his team cut the deficit midway through the second half.
Again, that score came after Munster had emptied the tank. Beirne started the half with another turnover, and a Coombes steal earned him a frustrated shove from McCarthy.
But Leinster were coming, now cleaner at the ruck and harder in the carry. The home side went close under the posts, and minutes later were attacking off the scrum again. Gibson-Park had a snipe, Ryan Baird added the final push. One-point game.
The blue wave kept coming. Jack O’Donoghue scrambled back to pull a roving Joey Carbery to the ground.
Just inside the hour, the pressure told, Leinster picking their moment after a series of close carries to find the space, with Charlie Tector touching down.
After a long wait as Shane Daly received treatment on the pitch, Leinster finished the game, Jamie Osborne scoring in the corner after another patient, accurate Leinster attack, securing a hard-earned bonus point.
Ben O’Connor had the final say with the clock in the red, but it was too little, too late.
When they needed to, Leinster had made their moments count. Munster again left a game wondering what might have been.
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Gibson-Park back with a bang as Munster rue some familiar issues in Dublin
EVEN WHEN MUNSTER were in control, you wondered how long they could hang on.
There was much to admire about their performance at Aviva Stadium tonight, one packed with fight and determination, but that can only carry you so far against a team of Leinster’s quality if you’re not stacking up points at the other end of the field.
They’ll have other grievances – Gavin Coombes alleging a Leinster player grabbed him in the groin area – but ultimately, Leinster were full value for the win.
Clayton McMillan’s side led by eight points at half time, but wouldn’t score again until the clock was in the red. That’s just not going to cut it against the back-to-back URC champions, who scored 24 unanswered points.
Slow second halves have been something of a problem for McMillan’s men this season, having previously gone scoreless in the second periods as they lost strong leads against Glasgow and Ulster. It wasn’t necessarily the winning and losing of this game, but it’s certainly one to chalk up and work on. Discipline was another sore spot, 17 penalties to Leinster’s 12.
Munster came to Croke Park and rattled Leinster to snatch a brilliant win last season, and for a while, they threatened to do the same here.
Leinster may be the team littered with internationals – supplying 17 of Andy Farrell’s November squad, compared to Munster’s two – but it was the visitors who brought most of the quality moments in the first half.
Those opening 40 minutes started with Munster playing the game in the right half of the pitch, before Leinster started the squeeze, ending the half with 64% of the possession.
They just happened to spend most of that time slamming into brick walls as Munster took a 13-5 lead into the break.
Munster’s defensive work was outstanding and in bursts that were all too rare, the attack scintillating. As the end of the first half neared, the visitors had made seven linebreaks to Leinster’s one, leading the turnover stats on the same numbers.
And it wasn’t just Munster’s usual leaders driving it. Josh Wycherley provided a huge turnover with Leinster building pressure, searching for the opening try. Gavin Coombes snapped in to win the ball off Josh van der Flier after a typically punchy Joe McCarthy carry. Jack O’Donoghue and Alex Nankivell combined to force another. Before that, Tadhg Beirne got things rolling after a shanked Hugo Keenan kick.
The half ended with Gordon Wood, not long on the pitch, forcing the ball free following a thumping tackle. Shay McCarthy was bright and Craig Casey again worked nicely with Charlie O’Shea in the half-backs.
In limiting Leinster, Munster only needed to land the odd shot to keep their noses in front.
O’Shea, starting his first interpro and winning just his fifth Munster cap, kicked two penalties, one from close, one from just inside his own half, and played a central role in a beautiful opening try.
The out-half, welcomed to the game with a hard late shot from Ronan Kelleher early on, needed quick hands to find Sean O’Brien, Leinster left snatching at air as red jerseys whizzed around and linked smartly. O’Brien hit Casey and Shane Daly joined the party on a lovely line to score.
Munster needed it. Twenty-six minutes in, McMillan would have felt his team had to land a blow before facing the inevitable Leinster wave.
Yet Leinster’s moments were fleeting, long phases of possession ended by a patient, physical Munster effort. Joey Carbery had some nice moments, but wasn’t steering the contest. Dan Sheehan, relocated as a number eight, carried with purpose and looked dangerous when running in the wide channels across an 80-minute shift. Robbie Henshaw brought power in midfield and Joe McCarthy was arguably the pick of the bunch, supplying the usual bite in everything he did.
But too much of it didn’t stick, and it would take more than 30 minutes for Leo Cullen’s men to get their first points on the board.
Attacking off a scrum, Jamison Gibson-Park threw a wonder pass, arching in the air and landing in the grateful arms of Tommy O’Brien.
Andy Farrell will have welcomed the sight of Gibson-Park back with his boots on, just two weeks out from Ireland’s November opener against Argentina.
This was Gibson-Park’s first appearance of the season, and it didn’t take long to shake off the early cobwebs as the 34-year-old delivered a classy showing. Even with a testing, swirling wind, his kicking was largely excellent – bar one early exit on the full – and his pass selection smart.
If he can play this sharply coming in from the cold, maybe Farrell should just wrap him in cotton wool now for next year’s World Cup. Enjoy the break Jamison, see you in Australia.
The Leinster nine was involved again as his team cut the deficit midway through the second half.
Again, that score came after Munster had emptied the tank. Beirne started the half with another turnover, and a Coombes steal earned him a frustrated shove from McCarthy.
But Leinster were coming, now cleaner at the ruck and harder in the carry. The home side went close under the posts, and minutes later were attacking off the scrum again. Gibson-Park had a snipe, Ryan Baird added the final push. One-point game.
The blue wave kept coming. Jack O’Donoghue scrambled back to pull a roving Joey Carbery to the ground.
Just inside the hour, the pressure told, Leinster picking their moment after a series of close carries to find the space, with Charlie Tector touching down.
After a long wait as Shane Daly received treatment on the pitch, Leinster finished the game, Jamie Osborne scoring in the corner after another patient, accurate Leinster attack, securing a hard-earned bonus point.
Ben O’Connor had the final say with the clock in the red, but it was too little, too late.
When they needed to, Leinster had made their moments count. Munster again left a game wondering what might have been.
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Comment Leinster Munster October URC