LARMOUR PLATED
Leinster ace Jordan breaks Reds’ hearts with late try to end stubborn resistance
JORDAN LARMOUR’S try pulled this one out of the bag as Leinster took home the spoils after a close encounter at Thomond Park.
Just when it seemed that Munster’s superb defence had thwarted the reigning champions, Larmour finished a ruthless move begun by Ross Byrne’s grubber and assisted by Hugo Keenan’s pick up.
Byrne’s cool conversion from close to the touchline was the icing on the cake on a night when it was feared the conditions would ruin the spectacle.
Instead, the snowfall stopped just before kick-off and, in cold but calm conditions, new Ireland forwards coach Paul O’connell and head coach Andy Farrell watched as a genuine arm-wrestle played out.
They also saw Johnny Sexton limp out of the action in the 53rd minute with a hamstring issue - just a fortnight out from Ireland’s Six Nations kick-off.
Munster will be kicking themselves. Up 10-0 after Tadhg Beirne’s try, they had Leinster on the rack in the 18th minute when Shane Daly’s monster kick sent them deep into Blues territory.
But Rhys Marshall twice failed in quick succession to find a colleague at the line-out and the chance to really put Leinster in trouble was snuffed out.
Another promising set-piece platform in the second half was similarly wasted, while Hanrahan somehow missed a handy penalty chance soon after the restart.
Leinster will also look at how they butchered chances as twice they were on the home side’s tryline.
Both times Munster came up with vital breakdown turnovers - from Marshall in the first half and the outstanding Beirne in the second.
It wasn’t enough, however.
Leinster seized on the one real opportunity to go wide and Lamour, who endured a difficult night under Conor Murray’s aerial attack, raced in to prevent a second loss for the
Blues in their last three games.
Leinster had no answer early on to Munster’s blitz start as the hosts looked to put pace and width on the game from the get-go.
FEEL THE BEIRNE.. Tadhg Beirne went over for Munster but to sum up their night it was later ruled out
It paid immediate dividends as full-back Mike Haley ruled in the air and Beirne drove the pack on - both men w i t h points to prove before Farrell’s Six Nations squad is picked on Monday. Hanrahan opened his account with a sixth minute penalty from just inside Leinster’s half after Rhys Ruddock was caught on the wrong side.
Turning the screw, the Munster scrum won a penalty that Hanrahan kicked into the visitors’ 22.
Conor Murray’s dart off lineout ball advanced the Reds still further before Beirne was shoved over for the first try by Peter O’mahony and Jean Kleyn, with Hanrahan tapping over from in front of the posts.
Down 10-0 after 12 minutes, Leinster were rattled but when the Munster lineout let them off the hook, the Blues came back off the ropes with their first chance to attack.
Hugo Keenan charged into the Munster 22 and with the Reds off their feet in the ruck, Sexton kicked Leinster onto the scoreboard with 26
minutes gone. Moments later, it took Keith Earls in full flight to deny Larmour as he raced onto his own kick-through.
Still, a Leinster try looked odds-on when Sexton kicked to the corner and his forwards mauled their way to the try line, only for Marshall to come up with a big 36th minute turnover.
Hanrahan had another attempt at a three-pointer from a similar spot to the first when Caelan Doris was penalised but his effort hit the woodwork.
At the other end, Sexton’s penalty made it 10-6 at the break.
But Hanrahan should have quickly restored his team’s advantage - Andrew Porter was penalised for straying offside as Munster again started well, but the no 10 fired wide from close range.
Instead, it was Leinster who held their nerve to join Ulster at the top of Conference A with a game in hand.
HE’S A JOR DROPPER.. Jordan Lamour screams with delight after his try, above won the game for Leinster