Munster snatch win with last gasp penalty

Leinster Schools16 Munster Schools17

Leinster Schools were on the trail of their fourth straight championship and as many consecutive wins over Munster Schools. Ten years ago, to the day, Eric Miller, Girvan Dempsey and Denis Hickie all scored in Leinster Schools 37-6 win over Munster.

This new generation of Munster marvels were determined not to fall into that trap, and Gleeson shot the first points in the fifth minute.

Slowly, the home side got their hands to the ball and second row Devin Toner broke from a ruck to block down Munster’s out-half Conan Doyle and land on the loose ball for the first try of the game.

Doyle refused to buckle, and when Leinster killed the ball at ruck Gleeson took the opportunity to restore the lead. Leinster fly-half Jonathon Sexton’s drop goal edged Leinster back 8-6 in front by the 27th minute. and Then Leinster, sparked by Sexton, moved the ball quickly out wide, and in tight, to create the opening for full back Robert Kearney to send right wing Kevin Barden to the line, for a 13-6 lead at the interval.

Two minutes in, Munster openside Barry O’Mahony grabbed an overthrown lineout ball and hot-footed it over from outside the 22.

Glesson bided his time to snap up a drop goal in the 44th minute and the lead had changed hands again.

In the last minute of normal time, Munster’s defence, so good for most of the afternoon, drifted up offside and Sexton planted the penalty from straight in front of the posts.

That looked to be the match-winner, but Munster still had something left to give. They drove on a tap penalty and an infringement at the ruck allowed Gleeson to split the posts and send his teammates into ecstasy.

Leinster Schools: R Kearney (Clongowes); K Barden (Belvedere), E Flanagan (Castleknock), C Keegan (St Paul's), F Carr (Newbridge); J Sexton (St Mary's), M Darcy (High School); G Walsh (Blackrock), G O'Meara (St Mary's), P Collins (Templeogue), C McInerney (St Mary's), D Toner (Castleknock), R Boucher (CBC Monkstown), P O'Meara (Clongowes), D O'Reilly (Blackrock). Replacements: B McGovern (St Mary's) for Walsh 44 mins; P Foley (St Michael's) for O'Meara 52 mins; G Byrne (Terenure ) for Keegan 62 mins.

Munster Schools: E Ryan (PBC, Cork); J Shortt (CBC, Cork), T Gleeson (PBC), A Kelleher, (PBC), P Shallow (Rockwell); C Doyle (Ard Scoil Ris), D Williams (CBC); D Hurley (CBC), S Cronin, (Ard Scoil Ris), L Casey (Ard Scoil Ris), D Sherry (Ard Scoil Ris), W Holland (CBC), M Essex (CBC), B O'Mahony (Crescent), J Harte (CBC). Replacement: R Hasson (CBC) for Casey 52 mins; F Daly (St Munchin's) for Shortt 61 mins; R O'Loughlin (Ard Scoil Ris) for Williams 64 mins.

Referee: C Beverland, Ulster Society.