Earls lands killer blow as Leinster self-destruct

JOHNNY SEXTON admitted poor discipline cost champions Leinster dear in a bad-tempered clash with their arch rivals at a packed Thomond Park.

Munster led 13-3 at the end of a fiery opening half in which Leinster had two men binned and another sent off.

“It took a bit of time to sort it out and there was illdiscipline that cost us the game,” said Sexton. “It’s a tough enough game with 15 men never mind 13 or 14. All the things that happened were accidents, nothing intentional really, and just one of those things.

“But it is something that we are going to have to learn from. It’s hard to compare when you are playing 14 versus 15 but fair play to Munster they turned up and played well.”

Keith Earls sealed a deserved victory for Munster when he intercepted a pass from Leinster replacement out-half Ciaran Frawley eight minutes from time.

There were fireworks from the early stages when Leinster skipper Sexton reacted badly to a tackle by Munster 21-year-old academy product Fineen Wycherley.

The world player of the year was also involved in an off-the-ball incident with former Leinster and current Irish teammate Joey Carbery when he pushed the Munster outhalf in one of the many melees which marred the opening half.

Leinster props Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong were both relieved to escape with yellow cards but winger James Lowe finally paid the price for their ill-discipline when he took out another former Leinster player Andrew Conway.

Munster struggled to make their numerical advantage count but they opened up a 7-0 lead after 14 minutes. Flanker Chris Cloete got the touchdown after a good drive when

they were rewarded for going to touch with a penalty inside the 22.

Sexton pulled back a penalty after Healy was binned for a high tackle on Conor Murray before Furlong saw yellow for a bad challenge which led to Cloete being stretchered off. Munster tacked on a penalty after Lowe’s dismissal for taking out Andrew Conway in the air.

Carbery extended the lead to 13-3 a minute before the break and then added another after the restart.

Leinster hit back with a try from hooker James Tracy before Carbery put nine points between them with 16 minutes left.

Leinster piled on the pressure after that but Earls’ try wrapped it up before Max Deegan had a late consolation score.