Charlie Tector evades the tackle of Darragh Murray on his way to scoring Leinster's third try against provincial rivals Connacht ©Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Leinster turned the screw with three tries during the final 23 minutes – including one from player-of-the-match Charlie Tector – to hand Connacht a 34-23 derby defeat at Dexcom Stadium.
On the night that the resplendent Clan Stand was officially opened, a record crowd of 12,481 watched Connacht lead twice but ultimately fall to their fourth successive BKT United Rugby Championship loss.
The bonus point victory came at a cost though, as Jack Boyle added to Leinster and Ireland’s growing injury concerns at loosehead prop. He was carted off with a lower leg injury, just under two weeks out from the start of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
The decibel level reached new heights at the Galway ground, a closely-fought first half ending all-square (13-13) after Fintan Gunne and Dylan Tierney-Martin had swapped tries, and Harry Byrne and Sam Gilbert traded kicks.
Harry West’s slick 49th-minute try, coupled with a talismanic performance from Sean Jansen, raised Connacht’s hopes. Only for RG Snyman and Tector to cross either side of the hour mark, and ironically it was Ciarán Frawley who claimed the match-winning score.
Frawley, whose summer move to Connacht was announced last month, went over in the 70th minute to seal Leinster’s 10th straight win. Byrne provided the assist and completed his 14-point kicking haul, just one more than the impressive Gilbert.
The visitors were led out by captain Caelan Doris on the occasion of his 100th cap, before his Connacht counterpart Cian Prendergast emerged from the Clan Stand tunnel to a raucous reception.
Leinster opened the scoring in the eighth minute, converting some forward pressure into points. Debutant prop Niall Smyth went close before Gunne plunged over from the ruck, with Byrne converting.
A Shane Jennings turnover ignited the Connacht attack, leading to a second early lineout opportunity. They drew level soon after, Tierney-Martin doing really well to burrow over, and Gilbert made it seven points apiece.
Following up on the home support’s lusty rendition of ‘The Fields of Athenry’, Connacht forced a second scrum penalty. The set-piece was fiercely contested, and Jack Boyle, injuring himself in a scrum, had to be replaced midway through the first half.
A Gilbert penalty nudged Connacht in front, punishing James Lowe’s tackle off the ball. However, it was Sam Illo’s turn to cough up a scrum penalty in the 27th minute, and Byrne duly made it 10-all.
Following a loose Connacht lineout, Doris opted for the points from close range as the defending champions briefly went back in front. Gilbert’s reliable right boot responded in the 33rd minute.
Just as Leinster looked to strike back off a maul, Jansen’s thunderous tackle on Gus McCarthy stopped them in their tracks and led to an important turnover. The westerners’ defence was certainly growing in stature.
The game opened up more after the break, Connacht hammering away in search of a try after a bulldozing carry from Cathal Forde. Smyth and Snyman held up Paul Boyle, but there was no denying West barely a minute later.
Deft handling on the left had Jansen breaking a tackle, the momentum allowing Finn Treacy to flick an offload back inside and Mayo youngster West gleefully went over untouched. Gilbert tagged on the extras for a sudden 20-13 scoreline.
Prendergast led by example with a crucial turnover penalty, foiling a pacy Leinster break involving Gunne and Snyman. Then it was Jansen’s turn once more, his ball-dislodging tackle on Scott Penny spoiled a promising attack from the title holders.
However, a subsequent scrum penalty was tapped by Leinster, and Springbok Snyman showed good strength to score just a couple of phases later. The straightforward conversion from Byrne tied things up again.
Connacht were seven points behind entering the final quarter, as Tector stepped off his left and used his power to shrug off two tackles, breaking clear to go over to the right of the posts. Byrne’s conversion took his own tally to a dozen points.
Connacht’s set-piece strength set up Gilbert to close the gap to 27-23, with 13 minutes remaining. Leinster upped the ante, pressing off a five-metre scrum. Byrne then pulled the trigger to secure the bonus point.
The out-half’s nicely-delayed short pass put Frawley over in the left corner, and he then followed up with a crisp conversion from out wide. The 11-point margin was too much for Connacht, who have dropped two places in the table to 14th.
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