Sensational Sheehan steals show on debut

IRELAND flanker Dan Leavy returned from a knee injury for his first action in 19 months but it was debutant hooker Dan Sheehan who stole the show at the RDS as Leinster extended their winning run in the PRO14 to 22 games.

The 22-year old fourth choice hooker – who is 6ft 3ins and weights 17st 3lbs – crowned his debut with a brace of tries and was involved in several others as rampaging Leinster maintained their 100 per cent start to the league with a third bonus point win.

Leavy almost marked his return with a late try but it was ruled out by the TMO after Zebre captain Tommaso Boni managed to touch the ball down ahead of him.

“Dan was a little bit unlucky not to get in right at the end but it’s great to see him back after such a long lay-off,” said Leinster coach Leo Cullen.

“He’s delighted to be back in the group with the players and it’s another step forward for him. It’s a win which keeps us ticking along nicely in the league.”

Zebre ran Leinster closer than any other team last season in the PRO14 when they went down 3-0 in Parma – but this time Cullen’s men had the bonus point in the bag by half-time.

They led 28-3 at the break with all four tries coming from lineouts. Prop Michael Bent got it rolling with his fifth Leinster try, while Sheehan pounced on a Zebre lineout error to score.

Paolo Pescetto cut the gap to 14-3 with a panalty but hooker Sheehan then set Dave Kearney up for his 42nd try for Leinster on his 150th appearance.

It was a night of milestones for Leinster players with lock Devin Toner making his 250th

appearance and Rhys Ruddock his 175th, but it was the young guns who made the biggest strikes. Impressive winger Tommy O’Brien ran in a couple of tries, while Harry Byrne kicked all nine conversions in his first start of the campaign.

Michael Bradley’s Zebre – who have now lost all 14 ties with Leinster – were without ten Italian internationals in action against Ireland, and it showed in the second half.

They fell further behind when Sheehan got over for his second try just 90 seconds after the restart. Josh Murphy got his third Leinster try after 51 minutes before prop Ciaran Parker, on loan from Jersey Reds, marked his debut with a try.

Zebre pulled back a superb breakaway try from Michelangelo Biondelli but the Leinster hit back through O’Brien and Scott Penny to finish of another routine win.