http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/3974.php
Leinster 'A' recorded a fine 31-3 victory over their Connacht counterparts at a wintry Donnybrook on Wednesday evening... Four first half tries propelled the hosts to a resounding win against a dogged Connacht who began brightly and took the lead in the third minute thanks to a penalty from scrum-half Adam Kennedy.
From the subsequent re-start Jordi Murphy was yellow carded and Connacht enjoyed a spell of pressure, but some superb work from the Leinster pack laid the platform for a fast sweeping move and Michael Keating snuck in the corner to give the hosts the advantage after 13 minutes.
David McAllister's conversion fell wide of the upright and the score remained 5-3, but some superb play from David Kearney who burst through the Connacht midfield four minutes later doubled Leinster's lead as the former Ireland Under-20 winger found the onrushing Niall Morris who cruised in for the easiest of tries under the posts at the Bective end. McAllister added the points.
The game ebbed and flowed and Keating exploited a number of gaps with some powerful breaks, while second row duo Ciaran Ruddock and Trevor Hogan impressing in the loose.
Then in the 35th minute a superb Paul O'Donohoe break found Kyle Tonetti who offloaded to Morris who set up Kearney with an acute inside pass to touch down - and out-half McAllister added the conversion - to give Leinster a commanding 19-3 lead. But Leinster weren't finished and Jack McGrath scored from close range in injury time after some good close in work from Jason Harris-Wright and then Hogan to give Leinster a 26-3 half-time lead as McAllister added his third kick of the evening.
With conditions declining Connacht out-half Conor Murphy kicked off the second half and their pack fought hard.
Driving wind and rain made handling difficult though McAllister almost scored his side's fifth try on the hour mark but he was denied by the Connacht rearguard.
With Leinster dominating for large spells, O'Donohoe was proving a real threat for the home side and the Clontarf man was the source of their most promising second half incursions.
Leinster had to largely make do with the profits from their first half plunder, though a late pushover try from replacement Ben Barclay added some late gloss.
LEINSTER SCORERS: Michael Keating, Niall Morris, David Kearney, Jack McGrath, Ben Barclay (1 try each), David McAllister (3 conversions)
CONNACHT SCORER: Adam Kennedy (1 penalty)
LEINSTER:
15: Niall Morris
14: Michael Keating
13: Darren Hudson (David Lynch, 73)
12: Kyle Tonetti
11: David Kearney
10: David McAllister (David Moore, 63)
9: Paul O'Donohoe
CAPTAIN
1: Ronan McCormack
2: Jason Harris-Wright (Tom Sexton, 67)
3: Jack McGrath (Ben Barclay, 63)
4: Trevor Hogan
5: Ciaran Ruddock (Mark Flanagan, 63)
6: Eoin Sheriff (Andrew Boyle, 74)
7: Jordi Murphy (Robin O'Sullivan, 67)
8: Paul Ryan
CONNACHT:
15: Darren Clasens
14: Thomas Tamani
13: Aifai Aesera
12: Finn Gormley (Dave Clarke, 65)
11: John Cleary (Colin Conroy, 67)
10: Conor Murphy (Mark Butler, 54)
9: Adam Kennedy (Mark Dolan, 54)
1: James Robinson
2: Marcus Madden (Ross Fitzgerald, 61)
3: Conor Higgins (Jamie Stephens, 49)
4: Liam Scahill
5: Joe Moran
6: Eoin McKeon
7: Shane Conneely
CAPTAIN
8: Trevor Conneely
REFEREE: David Wilkinson (IRFU),
ASSISTANT REFEREES: David Keane (IRFU), Edward Kenny (IRFU),
4th OFFICIAL: Gary Glennon (ARLB),
5th OFFICIAL: Richard Carson (ARLB)[/b]
