McKeon masterminds Leinster’s win

Munster U19 13 Leinster U19 32

In ideal conditions, the visitors displayed a clinical edge and crossed the whitewash on each of their first three forays into the Munster 22.

Their first try came straight off the training ground as a slick three-quarter move sent left winger Ian Fitzpatrick clear to score in the corner.

No. 10 Conor McKeon was narrowly wide with his conversion attempt but made no mistake in converting Dermot Lavelle’s five-pointer in the 23rd minute.

The scrum-half was stopped short after picking from the base but crept over at the second attempt two phases later. McKeon’s conversion made it 12-3 after Munster out-half Shane Airey converted an eighth-minute penalty. He tacked on another 15 minutes later to bring his team to within six.

The gap was short-lived, however. Fitzpatrick was again involved as his scything run took play to within five metres of the Munster line. From there the ball was popped to captain Jack O’Neill who broke two tackles to crash over.

Munster showed they were to be no pushovers. An inside break by full back David Johnston set the platform for flanker Diarmuid Dee to burrow over just before half-time. Airey added the extras.

Two Leinster scores either side of half-time largely put paid to Munster’s challenge, however. The first, a 30m penalty by McKeon handed Leinster the impetus going into the break. The second, a try wide on the left by No. 8 Sean Coughlan pushed Leinster 16 points clear with 25 minutes to go.

Although Munster emptied the bench and attacked the visitors in waves, they were beset by handling errors and couldn’t manage to regain a foothold in the game.

Munster U19: D Johnston (Rockwell); C O’Donnell (St Munchin’s), D Goggin (St Munchin’s), N Hodson (Midleton Coll), C Ansbro (Youghal); S Airey (St Munchin’s), R Foley (CBC); C Slowey (CBC), A Slattery (PBC), R Burke (CBC); D Moloney (CBC), P Kearns (Ard Scoil Ris), D Dee (Crescent Comp.), S Dwyer (Rockwell) (Capt), L Nicholas (St Munchin’s).

Replacements: B Burns (Castletroy), S Dalton (UCC), C Glynn (Árd Scoil Rís), T Ryan (Glenstal), J Dineen (Crescent Comp.), A Atkinson (Garryowen), G Barry (Crescent Comp.), JJ McDonnell (Castletroy).

Leinster Under-19: C Kelleher (St Michael’s); J Keating (Pres. Bray), A Byrne (UCD), S O’Neill (Terenure Coll), I Fitzpatrick (King’s Hospital), C McKeon (Gonzaga), D Lavelle (Gonzaga), P Dooley (Lansdowne), D Donnellan (Clongowes), S Delahunt (UCD) (capt), R Somerville (Terenure), R Molony (St Michael’s), J O’Neill (Castleknock), S Keelan (Clongowes), S Coughlan (Blackrock).

Replacements: M Lowe (Gonzaga), E McKeever (CBC Monkstown), B Cunningham (Lansdowne) D Hickey (Kilkenny RFC), D O’Flynn (Blackrock), D Henry (Castleknock), D Jordan (CBC Monkstown), S Sterling (Kilkenny College).

Referee: O Quinn (IRFU).