IT’S more PRO14 final agony for Munster at the RDS.
Munster never landed a punch in this one-sided bout as a convincing Leinster performance helped Leo Cullen’s men to a 16-6 victory.
The blues showed their class from start to finish against the sub-par visitors and the result was never really in any doubt.
Leinster dominated the first half and saw the vast majority of possession and territory early doors. The 2020 champions put Munster on the back-foot for the first twenty minutes and could well have punished Munster out wide but for some sloppy passing from Rory O’Loughlin.
Munster were forced to defend deep inside their own 22 countless times in the first half and showed good resilience to prevent Leinster from scoring at least one try. Ross Byrne gave Leinster a six point lead from the tee but it really could have been much worse only for some last-ditch efforts.
Joey Carbery managed to convert two penalty attempts before the break to somehow leave the score at a respectable 6-6 but it was clear that a massive improvement was needed in the second forty.
Sadly, the second half started the same as the first. Leinster enjoyed the Lion’s share of possession and bar some unforced errors from Cullen’s side, Munster were afforded little to no breathing room.
Munster had survived the Leinster onslaught for 45 minutes but their luck eventually ran out. With 47 minutes on the clock Jack Conan burst over to give his team a seven point lead.
Munster needed a response and it never arrived. Leinster defended with ease and the men in red made life more and more difficult for themselves with every passing minute.
Gavin Coombes tired to lead a late charge with some outstanding ball-carrying but foolish errors from the likes of Jean Kleyn, Keith Earls, John Ryan and Craig Casey denied any unlikely comeback.
Ross Byrne knocked over a further penalty in the dying stages to widen the gap and secure another title for Leinster on the most disappointing of days for Johann Van Graan and his team.
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