Late try seals win for Munster U21s

Munster U21 23 Leinster U21 17

Munster never should have needed Dave O’Leary’s injury-time try to see-off Leinster in this mediocre under-21 Interprovincial Championship clash at Donnybrook.

Early on, outhalf Barry Keeshan struck penalties while Leinster full back Ross McCarron resisting the challenge of Ciaran O’Boyle for a try in the corner. Keeshan nonchalantly shot a third goal for a 9-5 lead by the 25th minute.

Then, Ross Condron was on hand to haul down O’Boyle inches from the line on the back of a flowing movement, instigated by Keeshan’s delicate chip, that travelled 70 metres and through five pairs of hands.

It merely delayed the inevitable. Wing O’Boyle slipped out of Mark O’Neill’s tackle and Breffni O’Donnell had the power to slither in under the posts for Keeshan’s conversion.

Mark Hewitt spoiled Keeshan’s exemplary first 40 by executing an interception. Mark O’Neill kicked the extras to give Leinster a 16-12 lifeline at the break.

The scoreless second-half stalemate was broken when replacement John Murphy grounded the ball 11 minutes from the end.

It looked as though Leinster might hold on but O’Leary faked a pass to Keeshan, standing deep for a drop goal, and tore past a loose fringe defence for the winner.

Scorers.

Munster U21: D O’Leary, B O’Donnell try each; B Keeshan 3 pens, 2 cons.

Leinster U21: R McCarron, M Hewitt, J Murphy try each; M O’Neill con.

Leinster U21: R McCarron (UCD); P Howard (Trinity College), C McNaughton (Greystones), B Canavan (Trinity College), M Hewitt (Clontarf), M Hewitt (Trinity College); M O’Neill (Trinity College), C Willis (UCD); C Kavanagh (Suttonians), J Coady (Trinity College), R Sweeney (Clontarf), B Moroney (Terenure College), A Houlihan (UCD), K McLaughlin (UCD), R Condron (Trinity College), A Dunlop (Terenure College, capt).

Replacements: J Murphy (Lansdowne) for McNaughton 35 mins; B O’Shea (Lansdowne) for O’Neill ht; G Moran (UCD) for Kavanagh 56 mins.

Munster U21: D Hurley (UCC); C O’Boyle (Garryowen), B O’Donnell (UL-Bohemian), B Cahill (Bruff), P Hurley (UCC); B Keeshan (UCC), D O’Leary (UCC); R Brosnan (Garryowen), R Quinn (UCC, capt), G Collins (Bruff), R Noonan, UCC), M Melbourne (Garryowen), B Guilfoyle (Old Crescent), R Geoghegan (UCC), M Carroll (Bruff).

Replacements: D Ryan (Highfield) for Collins 54 mins; J Ryan (Young Munster) for Geoghegan 66 mins.

Referee: C Stanley, IRFU.