Munster 26-17 Leinster: Home side pick up tempestuous PRO14 derby victory in Limerick

Keith Earls was among the try scorers as Munster earned a fiery derby victory over Leinster

Tries from Chris Cloete and Keith Earls, plus the boot of Joey Carbery, saw Munster earn a much-needed interprovincial PRO14 victory over 14-man Leinster at a tempestuous and soggy Thomond Park.

The home side's performance was far from pretty and error-strewn in large parts, but with James Lowe red carded for taking Andrew Conway out in the air in the first half, they had too much for the defending champions.

Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong were also handed yellow cards during an opening period in which Leinster's discipline almost completely deserted them.

Munster skipper CJ Stander opted to point to the sticks rather than kick to the corner far more often throughout the 80 minutes, and when James Tracy notched a second-half try the game was back in the balance.

That was until Earls registered the game-clinching try, intercepting from inside his 22 and racing home to cue delirium.

Munster secured a much-needed victory in Limerick over their fiercest rivals

The first flashpoint of the evening occurred after just three minutes when Leinster skipper Johnny Sexton was fortunate to avoid a yellow card after ripping the scrum-cap off Munster flanker Fineen Wycherley's head and throwing it into the forward's face.

A second TMO review of the day followed when Scott Fardy appeared to catch Cloete high on the neck, but referee Frank Murphy once again failed to brandish a card after referring the incident.

Any frustration Munster might have felt was soon quelled though when, after kicking to the corner again, the home side romped over for the first try of the day through Cloete - touching down at the back of a powerful 10-man maul.

Munster celebrate their opening try as openside flanker Chris Cloete (hidden) touched down via a rolling maul try

Cloete's try saw Munster make the breakthrough, but he was stretched off just after the half hour

From the kick off, the TMO was called into play for a third time when Leinster's Healy caught Conor Murray high, and on this occasion, Leinster would not be spared a card as the prop - who was making his 200th Leinster appearance - was sin-binned for 10 minutes.

Despite being down to 14 men, it was the visitors who would score next on 24 minutes when Sexton stroked over a penalty after Munster had been penalised twice, reducing the home side's lead to 7-3.

Loosehead prop Cian Healy was the first Leinster player to spend time off the park, as he was yellow carded for a high tackle

Past the half hour mark, the TMO was called in to review a fourth Leinster tackle with tighthead Furlong having caught Cloete high during a ruck clearout, but he avoided a red card with referee Murphy brandishing his second yellow of the day. Cloete was stretched off, with Furlong mightily fortunate not to have his game prematurely ended also.

Tadhg Furlong was sin-binned for a dangerous ruck clearout on Cloete

Furlong was very fortunate not to receive a red card for the incident

On 32 minutes, the TMO was called in to review a fifth Leinster incident of the half as Lowe took out Munster wing Conway in the air, and this time the referee had no option but to issue a red card after the referral illustrated Lowe failing to get airborne, and Conway landing dangerously on his head.

Leinster's James Lowe received a straight red card in the first half, after dangerously taking out Andrew Conway in the air

Lowe sent Conway hurtling towards the turf head-first, having taken him out in the air

Munster attacked at the Leinster line soon after, but when overlaps on either side of the pitch were missed - Leinster defending with 13 - Carbery stepped up to kick three more points onto the board after the visitors failed to roll away.

With two minutes left of the half, James Ryan was pinged for failing to roll away and Munster once again elected to go for points off the tee - Carbery kicking a crisp strike over from 45 metres.

Three minutes into the second period, Carbery added three more points to the lead when he dispatched a routine penalty from just outside the Leinster 22, leaving the score 16-3.

Leinster came exceptionally close to their first try of the day in response on 47 minutes, when Sexton put through a deft kick along the ground in the Munster 22 and the bounce just evaded the onrushing Garry Ringrose.

Just 30 seconds later the visitors were over for a seven-pointer, however, when a powerful rolling maul saw a Tracy try awarded courtesy of the TMO on review.

James Tracy hit back with a second half try for Leinster to bring them within range

Near the hour mark the game saw a key moment when after earning a penalty in an eminently kickable position, Leinster and Sexton turned down the potential shot at goal for a kick to the corner - after which hooker Tracy overthrew deep in the Munster 22, relieving all pressure.

As it was, Munster were next to score as they restored a two-score lead via the boot of Carbery with Leinster caught offside.

Leinster built up pressure inside the final 10 minutes, pummelling at the Munster line, but any hope they had of an unlikely comeback evaporated when Earls picked up an intercept off a Ciaran Frawley pass inside his own 22 and seared to the opposite end.

Earls sprints in to make sure of the victory at Thomond Park

Leinster would have the final say - though it wasn't enough for a losing bonus point - as replacement Max Deegan scored from close range.