Hey folks, hope ye’ve had a great few days!

It’s Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park in a Christmas interpro — and it’s live! Well, almost: kick-off is at 7:35pm!

Gavan Casey with you here and I’ll bring you live updates from this URC meeting if you can’t make it to Limerick or to a TV (TG4/Premier Sports 2) this evening.

My colleague Murray Kinsella is also at Thomond and he’ll have a match report and reaction from this one, so keep an eye on The 42 for his stellar work later on.

Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Really looking forward to this one, as is the sold-out Thomond Park where over 26,000 supporters will be in attendance.

Leinster have been unconquerable so far in the URC. Munster have been anything but. We’ll see what materialises under the lights in Limerick later on.

Ian Costello and co. have made seven changes to the Munster XV that started last weekend’s bananas bonus-point victory over Ulster in Belfast.

Tadhg Beirne returns to captain the southern province with Dian Bleuler, Oli Jager, Alex Kendellen, Ethan Coughlan, Billy Burns and Rory Scannell all coming in to start. Tom Ahern moves to the back row, as well.

Billy Burns meeting Munster supporters. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Leinster, led by one of them in Caelan Doris, have recalled some seriously heavy hitters in the pack, although there’s no RG Snyman on what would have been an interesting return to Thomond Park for the giant Springbok.

There’s no Jack-Crowley-versus-Sam-Prendergast showdown, either, as Crowley is rested for this one. That’s a bit of a balls, if we’re honest!

MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, John Hodnett, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O’Connor.

LEINSTER: Jamie Osborne; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Rónan Kelleher, Rabah Slimani; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (C)

Replacements: Lee Barron, Andrew Porter, Cian Healy, Brian Deeny, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ross Byrne, Jordan Larmour.

Referee: Sam Grove-White [Scotland]

Almost go-time in Limerick.

Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

The calm before the storm.

Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Have your say:

1′ – MUN 0-0 LEIN: Amid a sizzling atmosphere at Thomond Park, Sam Prendergast gets the action underway.

Here we go!

2′ – MUN 0-0 LEIN: Some tidy Munster attack ends with a home penalty. Robbie Henshaw is pinged for a jackal attempt.

Munster go into the corner but their first lineout is a disaster. Timing issue and Niall Scannell overthrows Tadhg Beirne.

Next, Billy Burns kicks down the middle of the field from halfway. It dribbles out for a scrum back to Leinster. Poor stuff by the out-half, there.

5′ – MUN 0-0 LEIN: Leinster blow through the Munster line and Luke McGrath takes them deep into the home 22′ on a clever support run.

With the line effectively at their mercy, Robbie Henshaw fires a bridge pass from left to right but it drifts forward. Munster escape. Their fans go nuts!

But ominous signs for the hosts, there. Excellent attack by Leinster until that final pass.

8′ – MUN 0-0 LEIN: Leinster annihilate the Munster scrum and win the penalty deep in Munster’s 22′. So Munster didn’t actually escape after all!

Sam Prendergast takes Leinster to the 5′.

9′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: OVER GOES LUKE MCGRATH! TRYYYYY FOR LEINSTER!!!

The eastern province try to peel off the front of the lineout but are stopped short.

They batter away at the line, however. Big carry by Doris and Munster’s defence parts like the Red Sea off next phase. McGrath scoots over unopposed.

Prendergast sneaks his conversion inside the left-hand post from a tricky angle. Leinster lead by seven!

13′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Another neat, accurate Munster attack takes them up to the Leinster 22′.

They win the penalty advantage at the breakdown. Burns tries a crosser to Gavin Coombes but Jamie Osborne takes him down in contact — excellent tackle. Coombes’ subsequent offload attempt is spilled forward.

Back we go for the penalty!

14′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Munster go to the line but Leinster sack their ensuing maul with ease. Scrum blue. A Munster chance goes a-begging.

Munster have had two visits into the Leinster 22′, now, and come away with nothing. Leinster have scored a converted try with their only real attack of the game.

17′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Couple of nice passes by Sam Prendergast so far. One of them puts Jimmy O’Brien into space down the left but Calvin Nash makes a superb read and tackle to drag O’Brien into touch.

Some nice hands on display from both sides. A fairly free-flowing game so far. Enjoyable!

18′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Thomond erupts as Prendergast is minced in contact and a combination of Munster players, led by Niall Scannell, win the jackal penalty.

Munster go to the corner. Chance here!

20′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Coughlan knocks on at the base of a ruck as Munster make serious inroads — but he had the pen advantage. Leinster offside. Munster decide to tap and go!

21′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Leinster holding firm but offside once again. That’s three in the redzone. Sam Groves-White warns Doris after a Billy Burns chip agonisingly slips out of Nash’s hands.

Munster tap and go again from five out!

22′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Tommy O’Brien the fall guy, eventually.

Munster tap and go once again but GARRY RINGROSE AND ROBBIE HENSHAW HOLD UP TADHG BEIRNE OVER THE LINE! What a piece of defending by the Leinster midfield!

Goal-line drop-out after all that! Amazing defensive set by Leinster overall, however illegal it became. Munster just too blunt despite their excellent work to get that close.

23′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: A bit of calm, now, after that five minutes of madness. Tom Farrell knocks on near the Leinster 10′. Leinster’s scrum now includes Andrew Porter, who has replaced the injured Jack Boyle.

Interestingly, Eoghan Clarke is on for Niall Scannell, who is having a HIA. Clarke wasn’t listed among the Munster subs, but it’s now clear that Diarmuid Barron is not involved tonight!

25′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Another scrum penalty for Leinster. That’s their second and they’ve been unfortunate not to have won a couple more. Just pure domination in that particular set-piece, as expected.

29′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Dreadful by Munster at the lineout again, this time on their own 5m line!

Ball is slapped down to Ethan Coughlan who is eventually bundled over his own line.

Leinster get the five-metre scrum.

It all stemmed from a nice cameo and dink into the corner by Prendergast.

Huge chance for Leinster here, now.

30′ – MUN 0-7 LEIN: Jager puts Porter under pressure and is unlucky not to get his reward as Porter’s elbow hits the deck.

On the reset, Leinster win the penalty advantage. They’ll tap and go from the 5′!

33′ - TRRYYYYYYY!!! AND IT’S SAM PRENDERGAST!!!

Leinster, down to 14, lead by 14!

They bash at the line before eventually going wide to the young out-half, who waltzes through Munster’s defence.

A score born of Munster’s lineout struggles and a questionable call by Tadhg Beirne. But a score very well taken by Prendergast, who shows his wheels and converts from near enough under the posts.

35′ – MUN 0-14 LEIN: Munster are having the day at the lineout that Leinster endured against Clermont a couple of weekends ago.

Their lineout has been poor enough all season but it’s woeful today.

Meanwhile, Rory Scannell misses touch by a mile from a penalty. Prendergast blasts one from his 22′ deep into the Munster half.

Poor ending to the half, here, for the hosts.

37′ – MUN 0-14 LEIN: Munster lose another lineout but Leinster’s subsequent attack ends with Luke McGrath playing the ball illegally on the ground.

40′ – MUN 0-14 LEIN: Yet another Leinster steal at the lineout. James Ryan picks one off at the back, near halfway. I think that’s the fifth that Munster have lost!

Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

It’s been an enjoyable 40 minutes. Munster have had their moments but have failed to make them pay. Their lineout has started to malfunction at an almost unprecedented rate and there can be simply no way back into this game unless they iron it out at the break.

Leinster have defended superbly and struck with maximum points from their two visits to the Munster 22′. Ruthless, efficient and altogether brilliant by Leo Cullen’s side.

Luke McGrath and Sam Prendergast’s tries, both converted by the latter, have Leinster in a handy lead at the turnaround.

Catch you in 10 minutes or so!

41′ - Billy Burns gets the second half going at Thomond Park, which is rocking again after a chorus of ‘Zombie’.

Munster’s fans haven’t yet given up on this one. But it’s going to be a tall order.

41′ – MUN 0-14 LEIN: John Hodnett on for Munster at the break. He replaces Fineen Wycherley, with Tom Ahern moving to lock.

Munster win a scrum penalty on the Leinster 10′ much to Andrew Porter’s annoyance. Looked like the right call, to be honest. Jager is giving it a good go.

43′ – MUN 0-14 LEIN: Munster go to the line and while they win the lineout, their maul is again completely stopped by Leinster. The hosts have a penalty advantage, however, just shy of the Leinster 5′.

44′ – MUN 0-14 LEIN: Munster tap and go but they’re blasted back behind the five by Leinster. Savage defence again by the visitors.

But Munster win another penalty, this one against Joe McCarthy who comes in from the side at the breakdown. They’ll go again from the 5′!

46′ - TRRRRRYYYYYY! TOM AHERN!!!

Another penalty advantage against Leinster and Munster go wide left. Hodnett pops to Ahern, who arrives like a freight train and rides the tackle from Tommy O’Brien to stretch for the line!

A brilliant finish by Ahern, and Billy Burns converts from the left-hand side.

Game on, folks!

49′ – MUN 7-14 LEIN: Handbags after a nice, physical couple of sets from either side.

Now we’re cooking with gas. This is a Christmas interpro!

52′ – MUN 7-14 LEIN: Leinster absolutely fold a Munster scrum and win a penalty against the head!

Blue arms flail. They enjoyed that one. That’s taken the sting out of Munster’s resurgence. Prendergast boots Leinster towards the Munster 5′.

54′ - JOSH VAN DER FLIER! TRRYYYYYYYYYY!!!

On his 150th appearance for Leinster, the former World Player of the Year walks one in from close range as Munster defence disappears!

Leinster ruthless once more, and Prendergast converts from inches out.

Back to a 14-point game!

64′ – MUN 7-21 LEIN: Game being played on halfway now, basically. Munster attacking but going nowhere. Leinster more than content to let them.

69′ – MUN 7-21 LEIN: Leinster win a penalty on halfway and kick towards touch in search of the bonus point, but Ross Byrne doesn’t give it enough welly. He’s on for Sam Prendergast, who had a fine outing.

The ball is cleared by Tony Butler, who replaces Billy Burns for Munster. Burns also had a pretty good game!

73′ – MUN 7-21 LEIN: Leinster knocking on the door, now, for their fourth!

Munster, exhausted, are hanging on by their fingernails. They’re pinged during an otherwise solid defensive stand. Leinster will tap and go from five.

74′ - TRYYYYYY FOR CAELAN DORIS!!! AND THERE’S THE BONUS POINT FOR LEINSTER!

Off second phase from the tap, Caelan Doris blasts his way over the top of John Hodnett with some assistance from Cian Healy and, I think, Andrew Porter.

The Mayo man dots it down and Ross Byrne slots over the extras.

It’s very quiet at Thomond now.

79′ – MUN 7-28 LEIN: Lee Barron is denied a try after a long, long TMO check.

Barron was confident he’d finished it. Groves-White’s on-field call was no try. TMO found nothing to overturn the initial call.

Munster are spared, but they’re out on their feet here and there’s still 90 seconds to go.

A big Leinster victory which could have been even wider were it not for a try-saving tackle by Shane Daly on Scott Penny in the dying seconds.

Leinster’s drastically superior bench really told in the final quarter, but they had already proven themselves a class above Munster by that point.

Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Neither side at full strength and that especially told on Munster’s side. A really bad day for them in the end.

For Leinster, victories don’t come much more satisfying. They shook off a serious Munster effort and finished over the top of them, literally in the case of Doris’ bonus-point try.

Thanks for joining me for live updates. Catch you for the second interpro tomorrow!

Keep an eye on The 42 for Murray Kinsella’s report, reaction and analysis!