The last four Magners League showdowns

FRIDAY, APRIL 2ND, Thomond Park, 2010

Munster 15 Leinster 16

THOSE WHO had tried to elevate the battle of the respective outhalves from a subplot to central casting ahead of this match would probably feel vindicated by the manner in which the game panned out. Munster’s Ronan O’Gara kicked all his side’s points, five penalties. His Leinster counterpart Jonathan Sexton wasn’t as accurate but he emphatically answered the jeering and catcalls by posting the winning penalty in the 66th minute. He had earlier kicked another penalty – Fergus McFadden landed one too – and would also add the conversion to Rob Kearney’s try.

There were three yellow cards – Leo Cullen, Nathan Hines and Donncha O’Callaghan – in a traditionally intense clash. Munster led 6-0, 9-3 and 12-6 at various stages of the first half but Kearney’s try with the help of a favourable bounce and Sexton’s touchline conversion just before the interval helped to sway the tie in the visitors’ favour. They would subsequently stay in front for a first victory at Thomond Park since 1995.

MUNSTER: P Warwick; D Howlett, L Mafi, J de Villiers, I Dowling; R O’Gara (capt), T O’Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace.

LEINSTER: R Kearney; G Dempsey, F McFadden, G D’Arcy, I Nacewa; J Sexton, E Reddan; S Wright, J Fogarty, CJ van der Linde; L Cullen (capt), D Toner; N Hines, S Jennings, J Heaslip.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, RDS, 2009

Leinster 30 Munster 0

THE VISITORS were reputed to be still smarting from their Heineken Cup semi-final defeat at Croke Park from the previous season and the accepted wisdom was that Munster would vent their spleen in terms of performance during the game. No one could have envisaged what transpired. Tries from Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll and Shane Horgan drove the European kingpins to victory over the defending Magners League champions. Munster’s misery was complete when John Hayes was dismissed during the second half.

Jonathan Sexton tagged on a further 15 points in a very polished and authoritative display. O’Driscoll, playing his first game since the Lions tour to South Africa, proved the catalyst, scoring one try and making another. Munster captain Paul O’Connell and David Wallace had started on the bench but they could make little impression when they were introduced. The rout was complete when Shane Horgan intercepted a Paul Warwick pass to score a try and Sexton tagged on the conversion.

LEINSTER: I Nacewa; S Horgan, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, S Jennings, J Heaslip.

MUNSTER: K Earls; D Howlett, L Mafi, J de Villiers, D Hurley; R O’Gara (capt), T O’Leary; M Horan, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; D Leamy, N Ronan, N Williams.

SATURDAY APRIL 4TH, Thomond Park, 2009

Munster 22 Leinster 5

MUNSTER SUCCESSFULLY negotiated the last major hurdle en route to winning the Magners League title and completed a seasonal double over their rivals in the tournament. Second half tries from Keith Earls and Denis Fogarty helped European champions Munster – Leinster would go on to beat them at Croke Park and succeed them as Heineken winners shortly afterwards – storm to a deserved victory. The display of the respective numbers 10s was pivotal to the outcome with Leinster’s Felipe Contepomi, who left for Toulon that summer – missing four (11 points) while Ronan O’Gara chipped in with 12 points.

The visitors were without Brian O’Driscoll (neck), Luke Fitzgerald (shoulder) and CJ van der Linde (toe) but began the game well with Rocky Elsom, Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey prominent. Munster though soaked up the pressure initially and then ruthlessly exploited opportunities when they presented themselves, with a fine individual try from Earls and an excellent team one from Denis Fogarty, to emerge as worthy winners.

MUNSTER: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell (capt); A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; I Nacewa, G D’Arcy, S Horgan, R Kearney; F Contepomi, C Whitaker; C Healy, B Jackman, S Wright; L Cullen (capt), M O’Kelly; R Elsom, S Jennings, J Heaslip.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, RDS, 2008

Leinster 0 Munster 18

SOUTH AFRICAN Justin Melck was the unlikely hero as his late try swung this 131st derby match between the Irish provinces in Munster’s favour. It was a clash of the reigning Magners League champions Leinster and the 2008 European Cup holders, Munster with Melck, on a three-month contract, scoring a try in the 69th minute that effectively guaranteed victory for the visitors. Doug Howlett’s late try, after latching onto Ronan O’Gara’s grubber kick, embellished a fine team performance.

The defeat marked Leinster’s first league defeat at home to Irish opposition in five years. They had the better of the early exchanges but Felipe Contepomi failed to turn pressure into points for the home side. The Argentinian pivot, who came into the game having landed 16 out of his 19 place-kicks so far that season, had an off-night in front of goal, missing penalty attempts after four, nine and 12 minutes. O’Gara kicked a couple of penalties and a conversion to add to the two tries. The only downside of the night was an injury that forced Munster hooker Jerry Flannery to retire injured.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O’Driscoll, F Contepomi, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, C Whitaker; R McCormack, B Jackman, CJ van der Linde; L Cullen (capt), M O’Kelly; R Elsom, S Jennings, J Heaslip.

MUNSTER: K Earls; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell; D Ryan, D Wallace, J Melck.