21 points: Jonathan Sexton
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Leinster moved top of the RaboDirect PRO12 on Friday after they overcame rivals Munster 24-19 at Aviva Stadium.
All of their points came from the boot - Johnny Sexton supplying seven penalties and Rob Kearney a drop-goal, with the only try of the night coming a few minutes before the final whistle when Munster were awarded a penalty try.
Ronan O'Gara converted to add to four earlier penalties. A frantic finale ensued but Munster were unable to breach the home side's water-tight defence and force the winning score.
Munster suffered an early setback when Ireland international Keith Earls had to be replaced due to an injury after just two minutes. But O'Gara got the first points of the evening with a fifth minute penalty and the rest of the half saw the Munster man and fellow World Cup returnee, Sexton, trade further kicks which resulted in Leinster holding a 15-9 advantage at the break.
The scoring sequence continued in the same manner at the start of the second period with a further penalty apiece recorded until Kearney added some variation with his drop-goal.
Munster were immediately punished for Denis Leamy's yellow card on 60 minutes when Sexton knocked over the resulting penalty to make it 24-12.
Helped by the sin-binning of Leinster number eight Jamie Heaslip, the visitors showed great determination to muscle their way back into the contest. But they ultimately fell just short of preventing Leinster making it ten wins on the trot at the iconic Dublin venue.
The scorers:
For Leinster:
Pen: Sexton 7
Drop: Kearney
For Munster:
Try: Penalty
Con: O'Gara
Pen: O'Gara 4
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Fergus McFadden, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Sean O'Brien, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Leo Cullen, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Kevin McLaughlin, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Eoin O'Malley
Munster: 15 Johne Murphy, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 Niall Ronan, 6 Donnnacha Ryan, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Damien Varley, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Denis Fogarty, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 John Hayes, 19 Peter O'Mahony, 20 James Coughlan, 21 Tomas O'Leary, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Danny Barnes.
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant referees: David Wilkinson (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland)
Comments
liam2me says...
Yes, Kiwi you're right, I forgot about that.
Posted 00:37 08th November 2011
bluemagic says...
i honestly think that kidney should have tried the boss - sexton partnership in the rwc. murray just didn't seem at the right standard.
Posted 22:34 07th November 2011
kingstonian says...
@liam2me, typical crap from the Munster contingent, I was at the match which was a snooze fest Munster only got into the 22 in the second half after Leinster had the game won and the bench emptied. You lost and need to do a lot more work get over it.
Posted 10:03 07th November 2011
liam2me says...
Yes, there is a difference between stamping and rucking, to ruck you need a backwards motion, SOB had no such motion and was a, or rather several, straight stamps.
Munster dominated the scrum and the line-out, especially in the 2nd half. breakdowns were 50/50, if I'm generous. Ref killed it.
Posted 23:28 06th November 2011
adamk says...
@liam2me Aside from the penalty try against a 7man scrum, what dominance up front? Leinster's forwards dominated the game. All their points came from dominance at the breakdown.
Posted 16:31 06th November 2011
J_HDK says...
@liam2me
There is a clear difference between stamping and shoe ing. and if you're laying on the wrong side of a ruck it's going to happen. learn the rules.q
Posted 09:09 06th November 2011
liam2me says...
SOB lucky not to be cited for stamping. No mention of Munster's dominance up front or the fact Leinster never came close to scoring a try!
Posted 18:25 05th November 2011
Bitathisnow says...
Thought fitzgerald and mcfadden had good games, the team against montpellier should be
Healy, Strauss, ross, K Mclaughlin,cullen,o Brien,dominic ryan, Heaslip,reddan, sexton, fitzgerald,mcfadden, BOD, Nacewa, Kearney.
That team will definetley beat montpellier
Posted 17:38 05th November 2011
pantreac says...
Boss's and Sexton's play showed us why kidneys selection cost us progress in the world cup! Murray showed again he is not up to 1st team standard yet and was completely out played by Boss who showed him how a scrun half should aspire to play!
Posted 16:50 05th November 2011
J_HDK says...
Villain of the match peter o'mahony. Two vicious off the ball attacks on cullen and heaslip
Posted 07:59 05th November 2011
leinster_goy says...
deserved winners, though i have to say that the general lack of penetration worried me a bit, as does heaslip's form (the yellow card really encapsulated it all). that being said, Sexyboy's performance from the tee was faultless and may well sneak us a win in montpellier next week.
Posted 21:54 04th November 2011