{"id":19410,"date":"2021-01-23T17:37:08","date_gmt":"2021-01-23T21:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19410"},"modified":"2021-01-25T10:38:38","modified_gmt":"2021-01-25T14:38:38","slug":"larmours-try-seizes-victory-for-leinster-over-munster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19410","title":{"rendered":"Larmour’s Try Seizes Victory For Leinster Over Munster"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Guinness PRO14, Thomond Park, Co. Limerick 23\/1\/2021 Munster vs Leinster Leinster’s Jordan Larmour celebrates after scoring a try (\u00a9INPHO\/Dan Sheridan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>Jordan Larmour\u2019s 68th-minute try ripped the result out of Munster\u2019s grasp as Leinster triumphed 13-10 in a Guinness PRO14 dogfight at Thomond Park.<\/p>\n

Table-topping Munster had been the better team up to that point but the defending champions produced a real moment of class to put Larmour over in the right corner.<\/p>\n

It was tightly poised at half-time, Tadhg Beirne\u2019s try under the posts giving the hosts a 10-6 lead with fly-halves JJ Hanrahan and Johnny Sexton landing two kicks each.<\/p>\n

The second half was scoreless until replacement Ross Byrne\u2019s grubber kick led to Larmour\u2019s decisive try. Byrne\u2019s conversion was enough to seal a smash-and-grab win.<\/p>\n

A number of players, including Beirne, the Guinness player-of-the-match, grasped the opportunity to impress Ireland head coach Andy Farrell ahead of Monday\u2019s Six Nations squad announcement.<\/p>\n

Chasing their first victory over Leinster since December 2018, an early long-range penalty from Hanrahan set up a very encouraging start for Munster.<\/p>\n

Even better followed in the 11th minute, their forwards showed impressive continuity through 13 phases before second-row forward Beirne \u2013 supported by a big latch from Peter O\u2019Mahony \u2013 burrowed over for a converted score.<\/p>\n

A jinking run from the returning Garry Ringrose, coupled with some sharp phase-building, got Leinster firing early in the second quarter and Sexton sent over a straightforward penalty.<\/p>\n

With Munster\u2019s error count increasing, Sexton and Larmour kicked intelligently to pin them back. However, the visitors could not convert from two close-in scrums and a lineout, leaving Beirne to pick up a vital turnover penalty.<\/p>\n

Right on the edge of his range, Hanrahan hit the post just before the interval and a late Leinster response allowed Sexton to pull back three more points.<\/p>\n

Hanrahan had a poor penalty miss early on the resumption before Munster, who were showing more variety in attack, were left to rue a lineout steal by James Ryan.<\/p>\n

Mike Haley conceded a five-meter scrum from a clever Larmour kick, but Beirne forced a relieving 55th-minute penalty at the breakdown just as Leinster were poised to strike.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, Leinster\u2019s persistence, exemplified by influential scrum-half Luke McGrath, paid off. From a lineout, Byrne kicked through for Hugo Keenan to link with Larmour and he stepped inside Keith Earls to touch down.<\/p>\n

With the rain adding to the difficulty, Byrne added a classy conversion and Munster could not respond to that sucker punch of a try, losing to their fiercest rivals for the fifth time in a row.<\/p>\n

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