Leinster power to fourth PRO14 in row with dominant defeat of Munster

Leinster claim their fourth Guinness PRO14 title in a row.

Leinster's Devin Toner and Jamison Gibson-Park celebrate the Guinness PRO14 as Leinster are crowned champions

Guinness PRO14 Final: Leinster 16 Munster 6

Leinster dashed Munster’s hopes of a trophy yet again as they powered to a fourth consecutive Guinness PRO14 title on Saturday.

It was a textbook display of cool-headed dominance from Leo Cullen’s side as they suffocated their opponents, forcing errors through their unrelenting pressure and scoring the only try of the game, a 48th-minute score from Jack Conan.

There was plenty at stake for both sides with Munster desperate for their first piece of silverware since 2011, when they had beaten their rivals 19-9 at Thomond Park in the final.

Only Conor Murray and Keith Earls for Munster and Johnny Sexton for Leinster survived from the day in Limerick while Devin Toner had been an unused replacement. On Saturday the veteran lock had led out his side ahead of starting captain Luke McGrath to mark his 262nd appearance which makes him his province’s all-time most-capped player.

Leinster's Jack Conan is tackled by Joey Carbery of Munster

Given their shaky start and Leinster’s dominance over the first 20 minutes, Munster will have been delighted to have gone in level at half-time, Carbery’s penalty on 40 minutes making it 6-6.

They could have been in front despite Leinster’s strong start which had the visitors on the ropes but only two penalties to show for it as Ross Byrne maintained his 100 per cent kicking record for the season, with his 22nd and 23rd successful kicks of the campaign.

Munster had been all at sea and needed CJ Stander to hold up Scott Fardy over the tryline to avoid conceding five points on 26 minutes but they gradually began to find their feet and Leinster inaccuracy at the breakdown gave them an increasing foothold in the contest. Carbery struck in the 13th minute to get the reds up and running on the scoreboard but while Leinster continued to transgress, van Graan’s side were unable to capitalise. Conor Murray missed a penalty from a metre inside his own half into a stiff breeze, and then Carbery struck a post from the Leinster 10-metre line.

Leinster vs Munster

It needed a seventh penalty concession of the opening half for Carbery to get parity but Munster were back in the fight and grateful for the interval to reset for a second half with the wind at their backs.

Yet Leinster started the second half as they had the first, pouring over the gainline and laying siege to the Munster line, Jack Conan held up next to the posts before finally crashing over a minute later, Byrne’s conversion making it 13-6 on 48 minutes as the rain began to pour.

Munster were in danger getting deluged by the champions as well, losing captain Peter O’Mahony to a blood injury and then the restart from Conan’s try kicked long but Byrne missed from the tee with a 55th-minute penalty to end his streak. He was replaced soon after, Leinster underlining their squad strength by sending on Ireland captain Sexton and Ryan Baird at lock for Scott Fardy.

Munster did get go-forward ball and began to build phases only to give the ball up cheaply, a Jean Kleyn knock-on sending them back to square on as Sexton was forced off for a Head injury assessment on 65 minutes.

Munster's Tadhg Beirne (back to camera) looks dejected and speaks to Leinster's Jonathan Sexton (right) after the Guinness PRO14 final match at the RDS Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Picture: Donall Farmer/PA Wire. 

It allowed Leinster to resume their ruthless application of pressure and eked another penalty on 68 minutes, Byrne opening up a 10-point lead at 16-6 with only 12 minutes remaining. That Munster finished the game in their own half, soaking up another Leinster onslaught was a fitting end to a one-sided contest that must leave the men in red wondering where they go from here.

LEINSTER: H Keenan; J Larmour, R O’Loughlin, R Henshaw, D Kearney; R Byrne (J Sexton, 58), L McGrath - captain (J Gibson-Park, 75); C Healy (E Byrne, 52), R Kelleher (J Tracy, 64), A Porter (T Furlong, 52); D Toner, S Fardy (R Baird, 58); R Ruddock (R Molony, 74), J van der Flier; J Conan.

Replacement not used: J Lowe.

MUNSTER: M Haley; A Conway, C Farrell, D de Allende (R Scannell, 74), K Earls; J Carbery (JJ Hanrahan, 69), C Murray (C Casey, 69); J Cronin (D Kilcoyne, 51), N Scannell (K O’Byrne, 52), J Ryan (S Archer, 51); J Kleyn (B Holland, 69), T Beirne; G Coombes, P O’Mahony - captain (J O’Donoghue, 48), CJ Stander.

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).