THERE WERE CONTRASTING fortunes for Leinster and Munster as their pre-season preparations continued.
While the Blues showed resilience to come from behind and claim a five-point win over Harlequins at the Stoop, Declan Kidney’s London Irish tasted victory by the same margin at Musgrave Park as Munster suffered a second defeat in a little over a week.
For Leinster, they were able to celebrate a 26-21 score line after Scott Penny ran over the decisive try with 12 minutes to play.
It was a fitting way to clinch a contest that had been in the balance from the half-time interval when the sides were all square on 14 apiece.
Tries from John McKee and Mikey Milne had got Leinster up and running early on, and they re-took the lead on the 52-minute mark when Nick McCarthy put the finishing touch to Max Deegan’s breakaway.
The game ebbed and flowed with the hosts going back in front courtesy of Nick David, before flanker Penny put on the afterburners to complete the turnaround.
There was no such dramatics for Munster, who trailed 12-0 at half-time following tries from James Stokes, converted by Paddy Jackson, and Matt Williams.
Some impressive work from Malakai Fekitoa and Paddy Patterson resulted in Mike Hayley running over in the 47th minute, but the 12-point gap was soon re-established when England win Harry Arundel scored.
Mike Hayley scored for Munster on 47 minutes following good work from Malakai Fekitoa and Paddy Patterson, but Irish hit back through England wing Harry Arundel to make it 19-7.
Patterson then got over the line to make a fist of it but Munster couldn’t find the extra edge to get the win.
