There is a level of intensity to Leinster s game that other teams cannot match
Leinster have gained the kind of stranglehold on the Pro14 that Dublin have enjoyed in the All-Ireland SFC. By Garry Doyle Monday 8 Mar 2021, 7:00 AM Mar 8th 2021, 7:00 AM 9,906 Views 13 Comments
Dan Sheehan gets Leinster s fifth try.
Image: James Crombie/INPHO
Image: James Crombie/INPHO
IT IS HARD to imagine now but when dawn broke on 3 May 2008, Leinster had only one trophy to their name in the professional era. Ulster had three. They still do. By the end of that month, Munster would have four, including a second Heineken Cup.
When wishes are being made to the Guinness PRO14 fairy they surely must include Leinster getting beaten – just to cause a ripple on the surface.
In this instance the tournament organisers, frequently battling to put some glamour on the competition, needed a near full strength Ulster to reflect their selection. Instead they got a final pairing – Leinster versus Munster – sorted with a couple of rounds to play before the final. At least it holds out the prospect of another fine game.
In the meantime what they got here was a Big Brother affair where every conversation was tapped and acted on, with cards flashing like traffic lights. When an exhausted Frank Murphy called time he had shown five cards.
Leinster have booked their spot in the Guinness Pro14 final after beating Ulster at home.A shaky start for Leo Cullen's men had Ulster thinking they could come away on top, but a red card for Andrew Warwick with 30 minutes gone left th.
Ulster coach left bemused and angry after red card ruins Pro14 dream the42.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from the42.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Leinster primed and ready for Munster final date
Updated / Sunday, 7 Mar 2021
11:47
Michael Bent is congratulated by Leinster team-mates after his try against Ulster
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said his team rode their luck at times against Ulster, but it was yet another win over Ulster and now just Munster stand in the way of Guinness Pro14 silverware.
Cullen’s side trailed at one stage 12-3 in the first half with Devin Toner and Jimmy O Brien sin-binned, and while Stuart McCloskey was also given 10 minutes on the sideline, it was the dismissal of replacement prop Andy Warwick for a high challenge that had a serious impact on the game.