Leinster Hunt Down Another Maximum Haul In Swansea

Recovering from the early concession of a penalty try and yellow card, Leinster stormed back to take maximum points in a 26-7 win over the Ospreys in Swansea.

It was a fifth straight bonus point victory for Leo Cullen’s men, who remain two points clear of their closest rivals, Ulster, at the top of Conference A.

The double whammy of the seventh-minute penalty try and Scott Penny’s sin-binning failed to derail Leinster who were 19-7 ahead by half-time.

Flanker Penny touched down for the third game on the trot, while James Tracy opened Leinster’s account and Dave Kearney finished off a brilliant 25th-minute breakaway effort.

The only score of a tightly-contested second half arrived in the 56th minute when Peter Dooley crossed following fellow replacement Dan Sheehan’s quickly-taken penalty.

Ross Molony led Leinster out on the occasion of his 100th cap and his lineout calling was a foundation stone. Michael Milne, on his first start at loosehead, also maintained a high work-rate around the pitch.

However, the Welsh outfit showed some glimpses of their attacking ability when Will Griffiths burst through from Josh Thomas’ flat pass, and Scott Williams’ grubber kick had to be covered by Kearney.

Leinster indiscipline was punished with that penalty try, as the Ospreys used a scrum penalty to maul up close and the visitors were forced to infringe with Penny receiving the yellow.

Captain Rhys Ruddock, who delivered another player-of-the-match performance, thwarted the home side a few minutes later by clamping down for a turnover penalty.

Soon it was time for the Ospreys to cough up crucial yards as Harry Byrne booted away two impressive touchfinders from penalties. The Leinster pack matched his accuracy.

Molony won the 18th-minute lineout, a few metres out, and the maul edged them closer before Tracy, with Ruddock giving key support, drove over for his second try of the season.

Out-half Byrne added a difficult levelling conversion with the aid of the right hand post, and with Leinster now working off quicker ruck ball, their attack carried more of a cutting edge.

Jimmy O’Brien, who was assured again at full-back and countered speedily, came to the rescue when the lively Mat Protheroe looked odds-on to score from a hack through.

Leinster needed no second invitation from a lost Ospreys lineout, gobbled up by Tracy at the rear. What followed was a blistering Rory O’Loughlin-led break which netted seven more points.

Tracy carried forward before Byrne launched O’Loughlin scything through a gap, past halfway, and the supporting O’Brien offloaded for Kearney to dive over in the left corner.

Byrne’s pinpoint touchline conversion was followed by a rare penalty miss, as Ruddock’s charge off the back of a scrum went unrewarded.

Nonetheless, with the Ospreys coming under further pressure, Tommy O’Brien’s pass back inside had Kearney slicing through midfield. Good hands from Michael Bent and Byrne released Penny to ground the ball past Protheroe.

The tough conversion from wide on the right was curled wide by Byrne, leaving a dozen points between the two Conference A teams at the break.

Following a Cai Evans penalty miss, Leinster seized the initiative in the second half with their scrum and maul looking a good deal more authoritative.

Their newly-introduced front row maintained the momentum, and approaching the hour mark, the Ospreys finally caved after Tom Botha failed to roll away.

In sight of the try-line, young hooker Sheehan tapped the penalty with Molony and Ruddock in support. Dooley duly muscled over in the next phase, aided by fellow replacements Dan Leavy and Ciaran Parker.

Byrne tagged on his third successful conversion, before the Ospreys attempted to respond. Leinster’s defence was thoroughly tested, especially after Tommy O’Brien’s injury forced Hugh O’Sullivan to come on at full-back.

Just when it looked like the Ospreys would score, the full force of Sheehan, David Hawkshaw and Luke McGrath bundled Luke Morgan in touch to deny him a try.

O’Sullivan needed a well-timed tackle to prevent Protheroe from getting over, and Penny earned a last-minute penalty to complete a fine shift from the province’s defence.