The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Controversial try denies Edinburgh
Gutsy Edinburgh came home empty-handed despite producing their best display of the Pro14 campaign last night.
They had been in with a real shout of creating a major shock in Dublin – only for Euro giants Leinster to make sure of the win with a controversial try.
John Hardie appeared to be illegally taken out just seconds before Jameson Gibson-park squeezed over. But the score was allowed, cruelly denying Richard Cockerill’s men even a consolation point.
Edinburgh had made a brisk start, pinning the hosts back in their own territory. The boldness of the visitors was underlined as they spurned the chance of three points in the hope of creating a moraleboosting try.
The score didn’t come – however they edged in front with an easy penalty by Jason Tovey. The stand-off was back in the spotlight and found the target again as the Myreside men kept on pressing.
His strike merely awoke Leinster from their slumbers and they surged upfield straight from the restart to set up a try for flanker Jordi Murphy. Lions playmaker Jonny Sexton added the tricky conversion.
Welsh ref Ian Davies then had to read the riot act to both teams in the wake of a brawl, which looked a lot worse than it actually was.
Edinburgh had to soak up almost constant pressure until the 30-minute mark.
The alert Tovey pounced on a loose Leinster midfield pass and cruised 80 metres to the line – turning it into a sevenpointer himself.
Scott Vardy then looked certain to plough over at the other end but a marvellous lastgasp challenge by Tom Brown dislodged the ball before he could get it grounded.
It was all Leinster in the build-up to the interval and it was no surprise as Joey Carbery darted over. Sexton snatched back the lead with the last kick of the half.
The Dubliners stepped up the pace after the restart, but still the Edinburgh markers dug deep.
But there was another setback when the capital side’s flanker James Ritchie was sinbinned. At the other end, Sexton was lucky to dodge a yellow for a neck grab on Sam Hidalgo-clyne.
Edinburgh found fresh impetus with Dougie Fife being blocked just short.
Then came the heartbreak moment as Jameson Gibsonpark sealed their fate – Carbery converting.
Leinster: Carbery, Mcfadden, O’loughlin, Reid, D. Kearney, Sexton, L. Mcgrath, J. Mcgrath, Cronin, Furlong, Toner, Fardy, Ruddock, Murphy, O’brien. replacements: Larmour for Reid (59), R. Byrne for Sexton (69), Gibsonpark for L. Mcgrath (65), E. Byrne for J. Mcgrath (59), B. Byrne for Cronin (59), Porter for Furlong (59), Molony for Murphy (75), Deegan for O’brien (59).
Edinburgh: G. Bryce, Brown, J. Johnstone, Burleigh, Fife, Tovey, Hidalgo-clyne, Marfo, Mcinally, Berghan, Mckenzie, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Watson, Du Preez, Hardie. Replacements: Fowles for Hidalgo-clyne (54), Cochrane for Mcinally (59), K. Bryce for Berghan (51), Bresler for Mckenzie (46), Hardie for Watson (61), Fruean for Hardie (75). Not used: Mccallum, Kinghorn.