Irish heavyweights Leinster maintained their unbeaten streak in the United Rugby Championship with a hard-fought 10-nil (halftime 7-0) win over Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday night.
Wet conditions made life difficult for both sides throughout the clash but it did not stop the teams from looking to run the ball from all sections of Connacht’s recently laid 4G pitch.
The hosts were left to rue a number of missed chances while Leinster did enough to score vital points when they mattered to grab their fifth win of the competition.
Leinster struck first blood in the opening five minutes from an early attacking lineout. Breaking down the blindside of the maul, eventual man of the match Josh van der Flier bumped off two defenders before releasing scrumhalf Cormac Foley into the corner for the first try of the evening.
The visitors had a chance to extend their buffer to ten points five minutes before halftime but Ross Byrne’s first penalty shot of the night just went left of the uprights.
Connacht went on the offensive down the other end of the pitch with the break looming but some dogged defence from Leinster reaffirmed their 7-nil lead as the teams headed off into the sheds as rain began to bucket down in Galway.
Byrne was afforded his second penalty shot at goal 15 minutes into the second half but again the Leinster flyhalf couldn’t find the mark.
Connact were reduced to 14 men with just under five minutes left to play as lock Niall Murphy knocked the ball out of the hands of Leinster reserve scrumhalf Nick McCarthy from an offside position.
Ciarán Frawley stepped up after replacing Byrne and knocked his first penalty attempt through the uprights to extend Leinster’s lead to 10-nil.
The successful shot at goal denied the hosts a losing bonus point and gave Leinster further breathing room atop the United Rugby Championship standings.
Scores:
Connacht (0) 0
Leinster (7) 10: Tries:Cormac Foley. Conversions:Ross Byrne (1), Penalties:Ciarán Frawley (1).