Leinster leave it late

Jonathan Sexton landed a late drop goal as Magners League leaders Leinster beat provincial rivals Connacht 17-14 in a top-versus-bottom clash at the RDS Arena.

Bottom side Connacht raced into a commanding lead when winger Fionn Carr, a former Leinster Academy player, scored two excellent tries in the opening 22 minutes.

But the home side reduced the arrears to 14-8 at half-time after Ireland and Lions star Rob Kearney touched down.

Sexton then notched two penalties in the second period before proving the hero when landing the decisive 79th-minute drop goal.

It was cruel luck for the visitors after Ian Keatley had missed two drop goal efforts, while his fellow replacement Sean Cronin was inches away from scoring a try with seven minutes remaining.

Crashed over

The inter-provincial derby was just 83 seconds old when Carr crashed over for his first try.

Connacht's danger man, who has yet to feature for Ireland at Test level, caught Shaun Berne, Girvan Dempsey and Kearney all off guard as he cut in from the left and sprinted clear and under the posts.

New Zealander Miah Nikora added the conversion and although the visitors conceded a raft of penalties in the opening quarter, Leinster's sole reward was a fifth minute strike from Sexton.

The hosts' territorial dominance came to nothing and they were rocked again when Dempsey was robbed at a ruck and Carr linked with Nikora before gleefully touching down to the left of the posts.

With a considerable wind behind him, Nikora fired over a brilliant conversion to increase the pressure on the hosts, who were missing the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Cian Healy and Jamie Heaslip.

But six minutes later Michael Cheika's men looked back on track as Kearney dummied his way past Brian Tuohy and Aidan Wynne, just outside the visitors' 22, on the way to a well-taken try.

Sexton failed to convert and also pushed an injury-time penalty effort to the right of the posts, as Connacht held a six-point advantage at the break.

Second period

With Leo Cullen and his forward colleagues getting more of a grip on matters up front, Leinster reduced the arrears to three points thanks to Sexton - although the recent Six Nations debutant's radar was off in the 50th minute when he had a chance to level.

Drama followed as, with 12 minutes to go, Connacht lost full-back and captain for the day, Gavin Duffy, to the sin-bin for a punch, spotted by the touch judge. The television replay showed Duffy tangling with Fergus McFadden, but there was little or no evidence of a punch.

With the electric Carr continuing to threaten, the visitors looked like they might survive and a rousing breakaway almost had the perfect ending as Cronin sped towards the line. However, a desperate tackle from Dempsey felled the hooker, and Kearney got his arms under the ball to prevent the try.

Keatley then missed the easier of his two drop goal shots, from in front of the posts, and although Leinster scrum half Eoin Reddan did likewise at the other end, his half-back partner Sexton kept his nerve to coolly slot a 40-metre drop and dash Connacht's hopes at the death.