Leinster ‘A’ booked their place in the semi finals of the British & Irish Cup when they defeated Pontypridd 32-0 in Donnybrook on Sunday afternoon…
Noel Reid kicked the hosts into a 2nd minute lead with a penalty and the former St. Michael’s College out-half doubled his side’s advantage three minutes later following an infringement by a Pontypridd forward at a ruck.
Then Reid turned provider after 14 minutes as his clever pass found the onrushing Conor Gilsenan who displayed pace and power to burst through and touch down for the opening try of the game.
Reid added the extras to push Leinster’s lead to 13-0.
The home side looked potent with ball in hand and skipper Jack McGrath and Jordi Murphy’s work at the breakdown giving the side momentum, however they couldn’t add to their tally despite Reid and then Kearney both coming close to scoring a try late in the half, but they were denied by some rigid Ponty’ defence.
But then Reid found Brendan Macken and the centre dotted down in the corner, with Reid adding the difficult touchline conversion, to make it 20-0 at the interval.
Leinster began the second half brightly and Murphy punched successive holes in the Welsh side’s defensive line before centre Collie O’Shea almost weaved his way through for the opening score of the half only to be foiled by Gavin Dacey.
Then in the 53rd minute Leinster struck when Macken intercepted a Pontypridd pass inside the Leinster 22 and he sprinted clear to score under the posts at the Bective end, with Reid adding the conversion, to give Leinster a commanding 27-0 lead.
Then in the 72nd minute Darren Hudson rounded the Pontypridd rearguard to score his side’s fourth try of an entertaining but one sided affair.
LEINSTER SCORERS: B. Macken (2 tries), C. Gilsenan, D. Hudson (1 try each), N. Reid (2 penalties, 3 conversions)
LEINSTER ‘A’:
15: David Kearney
14: Darren Hudson
13: Brendan Macken
12: Colm O’Shea (Cathal Marsh, 68)
11: Andrew Boyle
10: Noel Reid (Barry Daly, 75)
9: John Cooney (Luke McGrath, 75)
1: Jack McGrath CAPTAIN (Jack O’Connell, 75)
2: Aaron Dundon (Tom Sexton, 68)
3: Nathan White
4: Neilus Keogh
5: Mark Flanagan
6: Jordi Murphy
7: Conor Gilsenan (Jack Conan, 75)
8: Leo Auva’a
REPLACEMENT NOT USED: David Doyle
PONTYPRIDD:
15: Harley Thomson
14: Lewis I Williams
13: Gavin Dacey
12: Dafydd Lockyer
11: Matthew Nuthall
10: Simon Humberstone
9: Rhys Downes
1: Chris Phillips
2: Huw Dowden
3: Pat Palmer
4: Cory Hill
5: Ryan Savage
6: Chris Dicomidis CAPTAIN
7: Wayne O’Connor
8: Dan Godfrey
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Garyn Lucas
17: Gareth Wyatt
18: Gary Williams
19: Rhys Williams
20: Tom Hetherington
21: Jake Thomas
22: Ryan Harford
REFEREE: Greg MacDonald (RFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Ken Henley-Willis, Gary Glennon (both IRFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Nigel Correll (Leinster Rugby Referees), 5th OFFICIAL: Colm Roche (Leinster Rugby Referees)
