Guinness PRO12: Munster 7-24 Leinster
Last Updated: 27/12/15 7:57pm
Leinster saw off Irish rivals Munster 24-7 in their Guinness PRO12 derby at Thomond Park on Sunday.
Tries from Isa Nacewa, Jack McGrath and Zane Kirchner set up the win, while fly-half Ian Madigan offered nine points with the boot.
Munster replied through a Robin Copeland try, but were kept at bay by the visitors as Leinster moved to third in the PRO12 standings, while Munster drop to sixth.
A Leinster turnover led to the first try, with Gary Ringrose released down the right touchline by Sean O'Brien, before the young centre passed to Isa Nacewa in the tackle as the winger crossed near the poles for an early 7-0 lead.
Rory Scannell had a chance to reduce the deficit from the kicking tee shortly thereafter, but the Munsterman sent the effort left before Madigan added a penalty to make it 10-0 to Leinster after 15 minutes.
Both teams showed enterprise in attack, but each defence cancelled the other out before Munster came agonisingly close to scoring their first points of the game with half-time looming. Michael Sherry managed to cross the opposition try-line, but the TMO deemed that he was held up.
Following the 5m scrum Munster muscled their way into the opposition in-goal area once again, but as before the referee advised the ball was held up and the two sides were forced to pack down again.
The ball was recycled several times after the scrum before Copeland spotted a gap in the middle of a ruck and crashed over to bring his side within three points going into the break.
Munster were awarded a kickable penalty early in the second half but opted instead to kick for the corner. The resulting maul earned them a second successive penalty which they also sent into touch, but after numerous phases on the opposition line, man-of-the-match O'Brien managed to win Leinster a penalty when he got over the ball at the breakdown.
Leinster then furthered their lead when a series of pick-and-goes led to Jack McGrath crashing over from short range to make it 17-7 to the visitors after 55 minutes.
Munster kept fighting but failed to notch any further points before Kirchner intercepted a Francis Saili pass with no time left on the clock to seal the Leinster victory with a try under the poles.
