Byrne lays down marker as Leinster reach final
HOLDERS Leinster booked their place in the Guinness Pro14 final by securing a 38-19 bonus-point victory over their only challengers Ulster to ensure they now can’t be caught at the top of Conference A.
Leinster came back from 12-3 behind and having two overlapping yellow cards by scoring tries from Michael Bent, Josh Van Der Flier and Ed Byrne to give them a 24-12 half-time lead.
The bonus point came in the second half from a Rhys Ruddock try before Dan Sheehan crossed for Leinster’s final and fifth try in the last minute.
Ross Byrne kicked all five conversions and added a penalty in a performance of calm authority that should have caught the eye of Ireland coach Andy Farrell.
Ulster had replacement prop Andy Warwick red-carded and Stuart McCloskey shown yellow, while Leinster had Devin Toner and Jimmy O’Brien sin-binned in the first half. Leinster’s Ruddock was also sin-binned late in the second half as was Ulster’s
Cormac Izuchukwu.
Ulster scored first-half tries through Marcell Coetzee and Robert Baloucoune, with Nick Timoney crossing late on.
Ross Byrne got Leinster off the mark with a fourth-minute penalty.
Ulster struck shortly afterwards when, after two penalties to the corner, Coetzee smashed his way over near the posts.
John Cooney converted to put Ulster 7-3 up and with Toner off the field, Ulster took advantage with a marvellous move ending up with Baloucoune driving over.
Leinster’s pack upped their game and the visitors tapped two penalties, with Bent crashing over beside the posts. Ross Byrne converted to make it 12-10.
The visitors kept up the pressure and after Luke McGrath was brought down short of the line by Cooney, McCloskey was sin-binned and, Leinster tapped the penalty allowing Van der Flier to wriggle through. Ross Byrne’s conversion made it 17-12.
Then Ulster were reduced to 13 as Warwick was shown red, and Ed Byrne barrelled over from close range, Ross Byrne converting again to stretch their lead to 24-12.
A series of penalties against Ulster around the hour mark saw the visitors launch several tap-andgo penalties and Ruddock eventually barged through under the posts for the key bonus point.
Ross Byrne’s conversion took Leinster to 31-12 ahead.
Timoney got over after 72 minutes which Lowry converted. Sheehan then crossed after Izuchuckwu’s sin-binning.