Munster 19-34 Leinster: Visitors prove too strong in URC derby win at Thomond Park
Garry Ringrose, James Lowe (twice), Jimmy O'Brien score tries as Leinster secure bonus-point derby victory over injury-hit rivals Munster at Thomond Park; Hosts edged their way to 12-11 lead in the first half through Joey Carbery's boot, but the second proved comfortable for the visitors
By Michael Cantillon at Thomond Park
Last Updated: 02/04/22 10:11pm
Leinster proved too strong for Munster in Saturday's URC interprovincial derby, wrapping up a 34-19 bonus-point victory at a dismayed Thomond Park.
Centre Garry Ringrose - Leinster captain on the evening - wing James Lowe (two) and opposite wing Jimmy O'Brien each scored tries, with Ross Byrne adding four penalties and a conversion.
Munster scored their points through four Joey Carbery penalties and a converted Damian de Allende try, but having edged into a 12-11 first-half lead, their second-half display proved well below par.
Leinster arrived with a squad containing 11 players involved in Ireland's Triple Crown-winning Six Nations campaign, while the absences of Andrew Conway (knee), Tadhg Beirne (thigh), Dave Kilcoyne (neck), Jean Kleyn (leg) and Mike Haley (knee) made the task too tall an order for the hosts, who failed to adequately turn up.
They also lost No 8 Gavin Coombes to a first-half leg injury after a side clear-out from Devin Toner at the breakdown - something which will be a huge concern for Johann van Graan with Champions Cup Round of 16 ties vs Exeter to come over the next fortnight.
Munster began with great tempo in attack - Coombes and Jason Jenkins combining for a huge early carry - but the positive start was undone when tighthead Stephen Archer threw an offload straight to Leinster's Ringrose.
Flanker Chris Cloete was then ruled off-feet at the breakdown, but the chance came to nothing as Leinster hooker James Tracy dummied the throw before delivering, conceding a free-kick.
Another Munster breakdown transgression had the visitors back in possession, and when the home side were next caught offside after a series of Leinster phases, Byrne tapped over from close-range for the lead.
English referee Christophe Ridley and TMO Craig Maxwell-Keys decided not to review a potential dangerous Lowe cleanout on Conor Murray before that kick, but a late hit on Carbery by Leinster No 8 Jack Conan handed the hosts a quick chance to reply, and Carbery made no mistake from all of 46 metres.
A superb midfield play after a dummy-maul had Leinster back onto the front-foot soon after, sending Lowe sprinting into space, and though Caelan Doris was stopped from scoring by a brilliant Shane Daly tackle, Ringrose ran in on penalty advantage a phase later.
Byrne pushed the conversion wide, and Munster roared back into the contest with Cloete and Peter O'Mahony making carries for big metres after a superb high-ball take from Munster full-back Matt Gallagher, placing them deep in the Leinster 22.
Though centre Chris Farrell went close to slicing through on penalty advantage, a Coombes knock-on saw the hosts go back for a prior Leinster infringement of slowing the ball, and Carbery slotted his second kick of the match.
A harsh penalty against Munster hooker Niall Scannell for not releasing at the breakdown handed Leinster further territory gains, and when Coombes was next to fall foul of the whistle at the breakdown to the frustration of home support, Byrne kicked Leinster 11-6 ahead.
Coombes, limping from a crude side clear-out on him from Leinster's Toner, responded with a big carry off a poor Lowe kick, and when Leinster failed to roll away at the ensuing ruck, Carbery confidently struck over once more.
The injury proved too much for Coombes to carry on though - making him a major doubt for next week's trip to face Exeter in Europe - and he was replaced by 21-year-old back-row Alex Kendellen.
A smart break from Munster's Daly brought the next points after Murray had claimed a high ball well, with flanker Josh van der Flier penalised for going off-feet and Carbery striking over for a 12-11 lead.
Leinster full-back Hugo Keenan executed a 50:22 as the half drew to a close, but Munster quelled the attack as skipper O'Mahony and Scannell combined to force a superb choke tackle on Toner and win the turnover.
It should have ensured a half-time lead, but Munster failed to kick the ball off the park after the defensive scrum, instead getting counter-rucked and caught offside, allowing Byrne to edge Leinster back in front.
Into the second half, a Gallagher knock-on preceded the introduction of Leinster front row trio Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong - Ireland's starting unit in wins vs England and Scotland - and within moments, Lowe was over for their second in the corner.
Byrne failed to add the extras, leaving the Leinster lead a seven-point one, but it was the visitors who scored next - a needless Fineen Wycherley tackle on Van der Flier without the ball allowing Byrne to make the lead a two-score one.
An offside penalty against Munster off a wayward Gallagher kick invited more pressure, and Leinster took ruthless advantage to blow out the scoreboard as wing O'Brien stepped to finish a move filled with superb hands along the backline.
Thomas Ahern acrobatically reclaimed the restart for Munster, and when replacement scrum-half Craig Casey tapped and went, Leinster were very fortunate not to lose a man to a sin-binning after repeat infringements.
As it was, De Allende went over within moments as Munster played off a number of penalty advantages, reducing the gap to 10 points with 17 minutes to go.
Cloete and Kendellen combined to force a key defensive turnover, but Diarmuid Barron's consequent lineout throw was crooked, killing any real chance Munster had of managing a revival.
Instead, Leinster rubberstamped victory by taking their next chance - and with it registering a try bonus-point - as Lowe sprinted in to dive over for his second of the night.
