Connacht end Leinster's unbeaten interpro run in RDS thriller
SLIDING SCORE: Connacht's Tom Daly scores his side's decisive last try in the thrilling victory at the RDS, Connacht's first in Dublin in 19 years.
As the clock entered the final ten minutes at the RDS, Connacht looked up at the scoreboard to see they were leading by 11 points. It was familiar territory for Andy Friend’s side. At this same venue two years ago, the men in green led by 17 with 11 minutes to play. They lost that game by four.
The thoughts of another collapse surely crossed a few minds as the hosts tried to turn up the heat, but when former Leinster man Tom Daly gobbled up a loose pass to sprint clear and score Connacht’s fourth try with eight minutes remaining, they knew they were on their way to a famous result and a first win in Dublin since 2002.
The recipe was based on a ferocious workrate and desire. From the first whistle, Connacht made it clear they had come to play, their line speed and general work ethic providing the platform for Andy Friend’s team to succeed where so many have failed in the last two seasons.
Leinster, on the other hand, looked far too casual. A Ross Molony pass hung in the air just long enough to be snatched up by Jack Carty on the half-way line, the out-half racing over and kicking the conversion to boot. It set the tempo for a blistering opening 40 minutes from the visitors as Leinster struggled to get out of their own half.
Caolin Blade spotted a gap and burst free only to be held up short, but Connacht recycled the ball and Carty added a second try, driving over from short range. Leinster looked rattled, and the sight of Johnny Sexton exiting the action for a HIA wouldn’t have done much to settle an inexperienced backline.
Leinster momentarily steadied the ship though an opportunistic Scott Penny try, but Connacht refused to relent. Carty pushed out their lead with a penalty. Then a poor kick from Jimmy O’Brien was gratefully received by John Porch, who sent the ball right back down the pitch and turned on the burners, the end result another Connacht penalty as debutant Max O’Reilly swallowed by the cashing pack was caught for not releasing. Carty clipped the kick over.
Then Ryan Baird took matters into his own hands with a roving 35 metre burst to get his side into a good position to attack. The ball ended up smothered under the body of Dan Leavy on the try line. Another Connacht penalty. Another little boost.
Enjoying all the momentum, Connacht struck again right on half-time, this time Alex Wootton getting over in the corner before Carty nailed a tough conversion from the sideline, leaving the visitors 20 points up at the break. They deserved every bit of it.
Sure enough the Leinster backlash came following the interval. The second half was only three minutes old when Luke McGrath darted over to narrow the gap. Carty kicked his third penalty from the restart but Leinster clawed the gap back again, Baird getting the final touch to a well-worked move which included a bull-dozing run from the returning Sean Cronin.
The hosts thought they had another moments later, only for David Hawksaw’s effort to be crossed out following a TMO review, Andrew Smith deemed to have obstructed Sammy Arnold. Connacht were winning all the important moments and remained on the frontfoot.
As Daly dived over for the bonus-point try he was engulfed by his teammates, their roars ringing around the empty stadium as Leinster’s remarkable 26-game winning run in the Pro14 finally came to an end, with Ed Byrne’s last-minute try at least securing a losing bonus point.
Leo Cullen and his players will have no complaints. For the first time in a long time at the RDS, they were a clear second best.
: M O’Reilly; A Smith, J O’Brien (H O’Sullivan, 62), R O’Loughlin (D Hawkshaw, 56), D Kearney; J Sexton (L Turner 23- HIA), L McGrath; P Dooley (E Byrne, 51), J Tracy (S Cronin, 51), M Bent (G McGrath, 69); R Molony, D Toner (J Conan, 51) (W Connors, 56); R Baird, S Penny (D Leavy, 62), D Leavy (J Conan, 61).
: J Porch; P Sullivan (B O’Donnell, 59), S Arnold, T Daly, A Wootton (D Kilgallen, 75); J Carty, C Blade (C Reilly, 75); D Buckley (M Burke, 68), S Delahunt (J Murphy, 73), D Robertson-McCoy (C Kenny, 61); G Thornbury (Q Roux, 73), Q Roux (U Dillane, 62); E Masterson, C Oliver, S Masterson (C Prendergast, 68).
: Chris Busby (IRFU).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
