Scribe and coach take on Leinster
Eddie O’Sullivan and Tony Ward combine for a Munster attack in 1986. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
Leinster ‘turn the corner’ in 2001
Former Leinster and Ireland hooker Shane Byrne told TheScore.ie that the Celtic League Final win over Munster was the moment the province ‘turned the corner’ as a rugby outfit. Byrne and his teammates played more than 60 minutes with 14 men after Eric Miller was sent off but battled to an impressive win.
Byrne, Reggie Corrigan, Paul Wallace, Malcolm O’Kelly and Brian O’Driscoll are all pretty happy about it. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
Munster make the final cut in 2006
Lansdowne Road was, once again, the setting for a Heineken Cup semi-final, with Biarritz in-store for the winners. Leinster were blown away by the Munster pack in a 30-6 reversal. They leaked three tries to Trevor Halstead, Denis Leamy and this nifty incision and score from Ronan O’Gara:
(Credit: imgur)
Munster ‘whip’ the Blues in 2008
Munster arrived in Dublin in late September and pummeled Leinster 18-0 thanks to tries from Doug Howlett, Justin Melk and eight points from O’Gara. The match report on the Reds’ website was entitled ‘Munster hold the whip hand at the RDS’. Their next trip to the capital would not be as enjoyable.
Howlett adds the exclamation mark try in the last minute. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
O’Driscoll’s 80-metre try in 2009
Leinster, shorn of Felipe Contepomi’s services, stunned Munster to lead 18-6 after the hour mark. With Munster attempting to mount a comeback at Croke Park and salvage their Heineken Cup season, Brian O’Driscoll pounced on a Ronan O’Gara pass to race clear and send the Blues into their first Heineken Cup Final.
(Credit: imgur)
Drinking on Good Friday?
Much of the build-up to the 2010 league clash at Thomond Park centred around the ‘will they, won’t they’ debate over serving beer to match-goers as the game was being held on Good Friday.
After politicians, publicans and thirsty supporters all had their say, alcohol won out and the bars were able to open for a limited period.
Not a dry throat in the house. (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
As for the match itself, Ronan O’Gara kicked all 15 points for Munster but a Jonathan Sexton penalty on 66 minutes gave Leinster a one-point win.
Magners League Grand Final, 2011
Nobody ever thought Leinster’s task of overcoming the Reds at Thomond Park was going to be easy but an early Doug Howlett try made it nigh on impossible. A late try for the home side sealed a dominant win:
YouTube credit: schultzjeanbaptiste
Spot the ball
Isa Nacewa, Andrew Conway, Ian Madigan, Simon Zebo and Conor Murray all went airborne last time the two sides met – a 30-21 Leinster win.
Eyes on the prize. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
*TheScore.ie will be liveblogging all the action at Thomond Park from 6pm on Saturday.
