Munster crowned champions
Munster lifted the Magners League title for the second time in three years with a 19-9 victory over Leinster at Thomond Park.
Last Updated: 28/05/11 8:14pm
Munster lifted the Magners League title for the second time in three years with a 19-9 victory over Leinster at Thomond Park.
Tony McGahan's side brought their Irish counterparts down to earth following Leinster's success in the Heineken Cup, confirming themselves the best in the league after leading from the second round.
Doug Howlett and Keith Earls both crossed for Munster while a late penalty try rounded off the win, with Jonathan Sexton replying with three penalties.
Sexton missed with his first attempt at goal six minutes into the match before Howlett twice found space for Munster, and on the third occasion he finished off after Lifeimi Mafi outpaced Eoin Reddan in the corner.
Ronan O'Gara nudged over a difficult conversion and the Ireland stand-off also started to dominate open play.
Sexton got his first points on the board after half an hour while Conor Murray sparked a break that might have led to a try, but O'Gara's hurried drop goal attempt lacked conviction.
Yellow card
A sparkling run and pass from O'Driscoll got Leinster immediately into scoring range after the break. The visitors' forwards battered away at Munster's defensive line until Donncha O'Callaghan saw yellow for not rolling away in front of his posts.
Sexton took the three points on offer and Munster staved off Leinster's next assault on their line - Richardt Strauss and McFadden, tackled brilliantly by Wallace and James Coughlan, were both thwarted.
A looping pass from Sexton was mishandled by McFadden as Munster were caught for numbers out wide, but the Leinster outside-half was successful with a right-sided penalty soon after for a 9-7 lead.
With just 20 minutes remaining it was anybody's game. Munster then barged back to within metres of the Leinster line, a thunderous tackle from Luke Fitzgerald knocking Howlett to the ground just when a try looked on.
But Munster turned the screw when O'Gara lofted a cross-field kick over to Earls, who avoided Isa Nacewa's initial challenge and scored despite a despairing tackle from Shane Horgan.
O'Gara was narrowly wide with the conversion and watched his 48-metre penalty miss the target with nine minutes remaining.
However, Leinster's hopes were extinguished by the concession of a third try.
One of their strengths all season, the scrum, let them down as Munster drove them back at an alarming rate on two occasions and referee Nigel Owens signalled for a penalty try.
O'Gara's conversion took the lead to 10 points and Leinster were even denied a meaningless late try as both Kevin McLaughlin and Nathan Hines were stopped by Munster's dogged defence.
