| Leinster 26 Connacht 18 | |||||
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 Leinster 26 Connacht 18 Connacht's hopes of a second win over an Irish province this week were cruelly dashed when Leinster scored two late tries to snatch victory at the RDS on Friday night. Connacht led 18-14 with less than ten minutes remaining and seemed poised to complete a Magners League double over Leinster this season. But their hopes of doing that and following up the 12-6 win over Munster on Sunday came unstuck when Leinster seized victory with late tries from Irish internationals Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald. Connacht led the match three times as Ian Keatley landed six penalties on the night to add to the four which put Munster to the sword. But it was Leinster who opened the scoring early in the first half, when second row Trever Hogan went over for a try to break the deadlock after an initial break from Isa Nacewa. Felipe Contepomi missed the resulting conversion but Connacht struck back two minutes later when Ian Keatley landed a penalty from 25 metres out. Leinster, after having a Simon Keogh try ruled out for being in touch, extended their lead with a penalty on 15 minutes 22 metres out to the left of the posts. This time Contepomi got the accuracy right but Connacht struck back immediately, again through the boot of Keatley to reduce the gap to two once more. And on 20 minutes Connacht took the lead for the first time, going 9-8 ahead, after being awarded a penalty in front of the posts from 36 metres. Both sides exchanged the lead in the second quarter, again swapping penalties to go in at half time with the home side in front 14-12, but it could well have been Connacht going in at half time in front, if Keatley had not missed a penalty from halfway with the final kick of the half. Keatley soon put Connacht back in front a minute after the restart with another penalty and again on 64 minutes to open up a four point gap between the two sides and it looked like Connacht might be on for a second win over the home provinces in consecutive weeks. However with ten minutes remaining Leinster found an extra gear and Irish Internationals Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald put them back them front with a try apiece. Contepomi converted Fitzgerald's try to deny Connacht even the consolation of a bonus point. after a very entertaining match. Scorers: Leinster: Tries: T Keogh, Kearney, Fitzgerald Con: Contepomi Pens: Contepomi (3) Connacht: Pens: Keatley (6) Leinster R Kearney; G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald, F Contepomi, Si Keogh; I Nacewa, C Whitaker (C); R McCormack, J Fogarty, S Wright; T Hogan, C Jowitt; R Elsom, S Jennings, St Keogh. Replacements: M O'Kelly for Hogan, 49mins; C Healy for McCormack, 51mins; R McCormack for St Keogh, 54mins; B O'Driscoll for Si Keogh, 56mins; S O'Brien for McCormack, 62mins; S Horgan for Kearney, 71mins; C Keane for Whitaker, 77mins. Connacht: F Carr; T Nathan, N Ta'auso, M Deane, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; J Lyne, A Flavin, R Morris; M Swift, A Farley; M McCarthy, J Muldoon (C), C Rigney. Replacements: R Loughney for Swift, 35mins; M Swift for Loughney, 40mins; R Loughney for Lyne, 55mins; S Cronin for Flavin, 64mins; D Gannon for McCarthy, 66mins. Referee: P Fitzgibbon (IRFU). |
| Last Updated ( Friday, 02 January 2009 21:54 ) |  |
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