Leinster too strong for Connacht

Connacht 21 Leinster 26

Leinster completed a double over provincial rivals Connacht at the Sportsground to boost their Celtic Cup chances.

Heineken Cup qualification hopefuls Connacht mounted a late challenge through Matt Lacey and Bernard Jackman tries which brought them back to within five points.

But in the closing stages, even without the sin-binned lock Des Dillon, the visitors held on.

Declan Kidney’s side were minus 14 players due to injuries and the combination of Six Nations and World Cup Sevens duty but could count on a couple of Southern Hemisphere gems.

New Zealander David Holwell – who earlier this week confirmed his return to his native land at the end of the season – kicked everything in sight in the first half, angling over four penalties and a conversion.

He added the extras to Felipe Contepomi’s intercept try on the half-hour as the Argentine star cruelly robbed Connacht veteran Eric Elwood on his own 22.

The Puma swooped upon Elwood’s intended pass for Paul Neville and eased over the line for Holwell to convert for 16-6.

Backed by the wind, Holwell slammed over two penalties in the opening seven minutes with fit-again Ireland flanker Keith Gleeson – making his first league start since November 2003 – captaining Leinster to good effect.

Elwood hit a dead centre reply soon after and following Holwell’s third success – in off the upright on 16 minutes – the Connacht fly-half was poorly supported when getting in behind the Leinster cover.

While Contepomi and Holwell – notching another penalty in first half injury time – pushed Leinster clear, an Elwood penalty handed Connacht some momentum on the restart.

Poor home defence however, allowed the soon-to-be-retired Victor Costello strike off the base of a close-in scrum for Leinster’s second converted try on 53 minutes.

Connacht flanker Lacey powered over in the left corner on the hour-mark and Elwood converted substitute Jackman’s close range drive on 78 minutes but it was too late for Michael Bradley’s side as they remain without a home win in the league since November.