A HAT-TRICK of tries from Joe McCarthy was the highlight at the Aviva Stadium as Leinster secured second spot in the United Rugby Championship regular season table with a comprehensive final-round success at the expense of Ospreys.
The home side received a late boost when James Lowe was included in the starting line-up for his first competitive appearance in almost three months.
The Ireland international was drafted in to indirectly replace Tommy O’Brien – who picked up a knock on Thursday.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was given another headache when second row Diarmuid Mangan was withdrawn for a head injury assessment just four minutes into the contest, but the hosts had already edged in front by that stage.
Although Josh van der Flier couldn’t quite break past the whitewash via a neat offload from team skipper Jack Conan, Leinster kept the attack alive.
It was eventually left for McCarthy to drive over underneath the posts for a try, and that was supplemented by a Harry Byrne conversion.
While the aforementioned Mangan returned in the 15th minute, his temporary replacement Max Deegan made a considerable impact in his absence. A TMO check was required before referee Ru Campbell awarded the score, but Deegan dotted down in routine style for a second Leinster try with just seven minutes on the clock.
Leinster's Jordan Larmour (left) celebrates with Ciarán Frawley after scoring his side's eighth try. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Ospreys did enjoy a decent spell of possession inside the opposition half following the concession of these converted tries, but the eastern province convincingly withstood the pressure that their Welsh counterparts were looking to apply.
Leinster, on the other hand, looked capable of crossing over each time they ventured into enemy territory and were through for a third try on 20 minutes when excellent combination play between Conan and van der Flier led to a runaway effort from the latter.
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It now seemed like only a matter of time until the home team claimed a bonus point, and it duly arrived in the 23rd minute when Jimmy O’Brien linked up to good effect with Jamison Gibson-Park in advance of claiming his second try in as many games at Irish Rugby HQ.
A fourth successful bonus kick from Byrne left Leinster 28-0 in front, but Ospreys finally opened their account just past the half-hour mark when an extended attacking move by the visitors was rounded off by a clinical finish under the posts by lock Huw Sutton.
Dan Edwards added the extras to this score, but despite coming up short in their search for a fifth try, Leinster nonetheless brought a 23-point cushion into the second half.
There was an entirely new Leinster half-back pairing on the resumption with Ciarán Frawley and Fintan Gunne taking over from Byrne and Gibson-Park respectively.
Alex Usanov, Tadhg Furlong, Deegan (for a second time) and Hugh Cooney were also added to the mix before the 50-minute mark, but the eastern province rampantly maintained their relentless pursuit of scores during the third-quarter of the tie.
Just under four minutes into the second period, the play was worked up the right-flank for Garry Ringrose to claim his side’s fifth try of the night. Like his fellow winger Lowe, Jordan Larmour was returning to competitive fare following a lengthy, injury-enforced absence.
Leinster's Joe McCarthy. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
He expertly juggled the ball off a delicate kick in behind the opposition defence before touching down for a well-deserved try on 53 minutes and after intercepting an Ospreys pass deep inside his own half just shy of the hour mark, he sprinted away unopposed to extend his personal account in ruthless style.
In between these efforts from Larmour, McCarthy also bagged his second try of the game following a neat Leinster move on the left flank. It might be regarded as a rare sight for the dynamic lock to secure a brace of tries, but the player of the match was unwilling to stop there as he once again found himself in space on 63 minutes and proceeded to seal his hat-trick with minimal fuss.
Even though any sense of jeopardy had long since disappeared by this juncture, there was a significant cheer from the home supporters in attendance when Lowe crawled over in the left-corner for Leinster’s 10th try of the game.
An outclassed Ospreys did round off the scoring in the closing moments with a seven-pointer from Edwards, but Leinster remained in high spirits upon the final whistle and their attention will now turn to their latest European Champions Cup decider against Bordeaux Begles in Bilbao next weekend.
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Joe McCarthy 3, Jordan Larmour 2, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe 1 each.
Conversions – Harry Byrne [4/4], Ciarán Frawley [5/6]
Ospreys scorers:
Tries – Huw Sutton, Dan Edwards 1 each.
Conversions – Dan Edwards [2/2]
LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (Hugh Cooney ’50), Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Harry Byrne (Ciarán Frawley half-time), Jamison Gibson-Park (Fintan Gunne half-time); Jerry Cahir (Alex Usanov ’46), Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani (Tadhg Furlong ’46); Joe McCarthy (Caelan Doris ’63), Diarmuid Mangan (Max Deegan ‘4-’15); Jack Conan (Max Deegan ’50), Josh van der Flier (Rónan Kelleher ’46), James Culhane.
OSPREYS: Jack Walsh (Luke Morgan ’57), Keelan Giles, Evardi Boshoff, Owen Watkin (Phil Cokanasiga ’59), Iestyn Hopkins; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams (Kieran Hardy ’68); Garyn Phillips (Cam Jones ’47-‘68), Efan Daniel (Lewis Lloyd ’49), Ben Warren (Kian Hire ’47); Rhys Davies, Huw Sutton (Ben Roberts ’70); James Ratti, Jac Morgan, Ross Moriarty (Harri Deaves ’59).
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Leinster find impressive groove to make light work of Ospreys
Leinster 68
Ospreys 14
A HAT-TRICK of tries from Joe McCarthy was the highlight at the Aviva Stadium as Leinster secured second spot in the United Rugby Championship regular season table with a comprehensive final-round success at the expense of Ospreys.
The home side received a late boost when James Lowe was included in the starting line-up for his first competitive appearance in almost three months.
The Ireland international was drafted in to indirectly replace Tommy O’Brien – who picked up a knock on Thursday.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was given another headache when second row Diarmuid Mangan was withdrawn for a head injury assessment just four minutes into the contest, but the hosts had already edged in front by that stage.
Although Josh van der Flier couldn’t quite break past the whitewash via a neat offload from team skipper Jack Conan, Leinster kept the attack alive.
It was eventually left for McCarthy to drive over underneath the posts for a try, and that was supplemented by a Harry Byrne conversion.
While the aforementioned Mangan returned in the 15th minute, his temporary replacement Max Deegan made a considerable impact in his absence. A TMO check was required before referee Ru Campbell awarded the score, but Deegan dotted down in routine style for a second Leinster try with just seven minutes on the clock.
Ospreys did enjoy a decent spell of possession inside the opposition half following the concession of these converted tries, but the eastern province convincingly withstood the pressure that their Welsh counterparts were looking to apply.
Leinster, on the other hand, looked capable of crossing over each time they ventured into enemy territory and were through for a third try on 20 minutes when excellent combination play between Conan and van der Flier led to a runaway effort from the latter.
It now seemed like only a matter of time until the home team claimed a bonus point, and it duly arrived in the 23rd minute when Jimmy O’Brien linked up to good effect with Jamison Gibson-Park in advance of claiming his second try in as many games at Irish Rugby HQ.
A fourth successful bonus kick from Byrne left Leinster 28-0 in front, but Ospreys finally opened their account just past the half-hour mark when an extended attacking move by the visitors was rounded off by a clinical finish under the posts by lock Huw Sutton.
Dan Edwards added the extras to this score, but despite coming up short in their search for a fifth try, Leinster nonetheless brought a 23-point cushion into the second half.
There was an entirely new Leinster half-back pairing on the resumption with Ciarán Frawley and Fintan Gunne taking over from Byrne and Gibson-Park respectively.
Alex Usanov, Tadhg Furlong, Deegan (for a second time) and Hugh Cooney were also added to the mix before the 50-minute mark, but the eastern province rampantly maintained their relentless pursuit of scores during the third-quarter of the tie.
Just under four minutes into the second period, the play was worked up the right-flank for Garry Ringrose to claim his side’s fifth try of the night. Like his fellow winger Lowe, Jordan Larmour was returning to competitive fare following a lengthy, injury-enforced absence.
He expertly juggled the ball off a delicate kick in behind the opposition defence before touching down for a well-deserved try on 53 minutes and after intercepting an Ospreys pass deep inside his own half just shy of the hour mark, he sprinted away unopposed to extend his personal account in ruthless style.
In between these efforts from Larmour, McCarthy also bagged his second try of the game following a neat Leinster move on the left flank. It might be regarded as a rare sight for the dynamic lock to secure a brace of tries, but the player of the match was unwilling to stop there as he once again found himself in space on 63 minutes and proceeded to seal his hat-trick with minimal fuss.
Even though any sense of jeopardy had long since disappeared by this juncture, there was a significant cheer from the home supporters in attendance when Lowe crawled over in the left-corner for Leinster’s 10th try of the game.
An outclassed Ospreys did round off the scoring in the closing moments with a seven-pointer from Edwards, but Leinster remained in high spirits upon the final whistle and their attention will now turn to their latest European Champions Cup decider against Bordeaux Begles in Bilbao next weekend.
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Joe McCarthy 3, Jordan Larmour 2, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe 1 each.
Conversions – Harry Byrne [4/4], Ciarán Frawley [5/6]
Ospreys scorers:
Tries – Huw Sutton, Dan Edwards 1 each.
Conversions – Dan Edwards [2/2]
LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (Hugh Cooney ’50), Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Harry Byrne (Ciarán Frawley half-time), Jamison Gibson-Park (Fintan Gunne half-time); Jerry Cahir (Alex Usanov ’46), Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani (Tadhg Furlong ’46); Joe McCarthy (Caelan Doris ’63), Diarmuid Mangan (Max Deegan ‘4-’15); Jack Conan (Max Deegan ’50), Josh van der Flier (Rónan Kelleher ’46), James Culhane.
OSPREYS: Jack Walsh (Luke Morgan ’57), Keelan Giles, Evardi Boshoff, Owen Watkin (Phil Cokanasiga ’59), Iestyn Hopkins; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams (Kieran Hardy ’68); Garyn Phillips (Cam Jones ’47-‘68), Efan Daniel (Lewis Lloyd ’49), Ben Warren (Kian Hire ’47); Rhys Davies, Huw Sutton (Ben Roberts ’70); James Ratti, Jac Morgan, Ross Moriarty (Harri Deaves ’59).
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU).
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Aviva Stadium Joe McCarthy Leinster Ospreys rugby ramping up Rugby Union United Rugby Championship