Contepomi instrumental in narrow Leinster victory

Leinster 16 Connacht 13

Leinster moved back up to third in the Celtic League as they hung on for a tight win over Connacht at Donnybrook tonight.

Man-of-the-match Contepomi pounced for a converted try on 64 minutes and kicked three penalties to see his side, starved of their Ireland stars, triumph in their final competitive outing before the Heineken Cup quarter-final trip to Toulouse on April 1.

But Connacht, helped by three penalties from the boot of Paul Warwick, made the hosts fight to the finish as Tongan centre Andrew Mailei bagged a 76th-minute try and only a botched lineout kept the westerners from adding to their tally in injury time.

Connacht looked lively from the off – a searing 20-metre break from young centre Keith Matthews had the hosts under pressure, only to be forced off soon after through injury.

Connacht then lost their second centre John Hearty to a facial injury late in the first half, but still held firm for a 6-3 lead at half-time.

Australian fly-half Warwick, who is Ireland-qualified in 15 months’ time, swung over two penalties for a 6-0 lead.

Warwick then missed a third penalty on 28 minutes, and Leinster took a hold on possession for the remainder of the half. Only a spate of poor decision-making saw them fail to garner a try.

Denis Hickie, who was making his 100th appearance for the province, and Keith Gleeson were both swallowed up in possession when overlaps were visibly on.

Leinster missed a good chance in injury time when they allowed Connacht captain Andrew Farley to steal a lineout, five metres from his own line. However, Contepomi kicked a subsequent penalty to reduce the gap to three.

The Argentinian star, the league’s top scorer, added his second, 12 minutes into the second half. A sin-binning for prop Reggie Corrigan, who launched a fist at Farley at a ruck on the hour, lessened the Leinster charge but Contepomi touched down moments later.

Guy Easterby fed his skipper metres from the Connacht line, Contepomi slipped on the sand-laden surface but stepped inside the tackle of Darren Yapp and just got over under pressure from John Fogarty, and converted for 13-6.

Contepomi added a penalty to push his league tally to 201 points for the season. Nonetheless, Mailei crossed for his first league try after a brilliant break from Matt Mostyn.

Warwick then set up a climactic finish with the conversion, but when Connacht opted to kick a penalty to touch rather than ask Warwick to kick them to a draw, hooker Fogarty’s throw was ruled crooked.

Connacht never recovered and it was a relieved Leinster side that departed the victors.