Leinster cruise into final
Leinster are still on course for a double success after beating Ulster 18-3 in their Magners League semi-final at the RDS.
Last Updated: 14/05/11 9:31am
Leinster are still on course for a double success after securing a comfortable 18-3 win over Ulster in their Magners League semi-final at the RDS.
The hosts, who had already secured a spot in the Heineken Cup final, built a solid lead in the first half as Fergus McFadden's 25th-minute try was supplemented by two Jonathan Sexton penalties.
Ruan Pienaar finally got Ulster of the mark with a monster penalty after the break, but Luke Fitzgerald's late converted try removed any doubt over who would progress to the final.
It was not all good news, however, as Brian O'Driscoll was taken off with a leg injury just eight days before the European showdown with Northampton in Cardiff.
Ulster finished the regular season with nine wins in 11 matches but were not helped by a lengthy injury list and could not match their provincial rivals.
Clever
Leinster were on the front foot in the opening minutes as a clever pass from O'Driscoll sent Sean O'Brien racing into the 22 and Sexton clipped over the ensuing penalty.
Sexton was off target with another penalty from just inside the Ulster half but the pressure told when Ulster were caught short of numbers out wide and McFadden went in to score in the corner.
Sexton's conversion attempt slammed off the right hand post, with Leinster having an eight-point lead to show for their early dominance.
Ulster had suffered from a series of handling errors early on but improved later in the first half, with Pienaar initiating an attack which saw Adam D'Arcy find touch five metres out from the Leinster try-line.
Leinster held firm in defence, though, and a Jamie Heaslip and O'Brien-inspired break set Sexton up to increase the advantage with a penalty on the stroke of half-time.
With the Heineken Cup final just a week away, Leinster withdrew Isaac Boss, Mike Ross and O'Driscoll after they picked up knocks, with the Ireland captain limping off after hurting his right leg.
Chance
The strong-running Robbie Diack helped tee up Ian Humphreys for a chance to get Ulster on the board, but the fly-half drew his penalty just wide of the uprights.
Simon Danielli, Pedrie Wannenburg and Nevin Spence carried well as Ulster started to attack with some potency as Pienaar probed from much quicker ball.
The physicality was also turned up a notch and Leinster moved to withdraw Sexton and a hobbling Strauss from the fray.
With 18 minutes left, Pienaar finally opened Ulster's account with a brilliant penalty from close to the visitors' 10-metre line.
But Leinster killed the game off with their next score as Fitzgerald wormed his way past Pienaar and Pedrie Wannenburg before showing great pace touch down under the posts.
McFadden added the extras and Ulster's late series of attacks went unrewarded, as Leinster booked their spot in a second straight Magners League final on May 28.
