Star man Byrne brings early Christmas gift of derby win for Leinster in try thriller
Christmas came early to the RDS with a sackful of tries in Leinster’s Pro14 derby win.
The Conference A leaders bagged their bonus-point inside 28 minutes, but Ulster recovered from Matt Faddes’ sin-binning to score six tries.
Max Deegan, Scott Penny (2), Robbie Henshaw and Fergus Mcfadden all touched down to tee up a 33-14 half-time lead.
Faddes added to Angus Kernohan’s eighth-minute effort but it was Harry Byrne, 20, who shone for Leinster, landing seven conversions in a man-of-the-match display.
Rob Kearney, Cian Kelleher and Deegan took the victors’ try haul to eight, yet secondplaced Ulster grabbed a hardearned bonus point.
The hosts got off to a flying start with Deegan twisting out of a double tackle to ground the ball. Byrne converted. Ulster piled forward thanks to a series of penalties. Faddes played the perfect link man in midfield, as the ball was shifted wide by Rob Lyttle for Kernohan to crash over.
Bill Johnston made it seven points apiece but Penny later burrowed over for Byrne to convert before doubling his tally in the 22nd minute. Byrne’s well-weighted kick was touched down by Henshaw. Byrne converted.
Faddes scampered clear from halfway before Mcfadden replied and Byrne then skipped two players to put Kearney over after the restart.
Mcfadden’s cross-field kick from a penalty picked out
Henshaw, who dished it off for Kelleher to make it 47-14.
Gilroy intercepted a Penny pass for a rallying try, but Deegan used a close-in scrum to reach in under the posts.
Ulster finished with a flourish from Greg Jones’ double. Johnston converted both and topped off Jonny Stewart’s smart finish.