Leinster 30 Currie 7:LEINSTER MOVED to within three points of pool leaders Cornish Pirates by whacking Currie for a bonus-point win at Donnybrook yesterday.
Outhalf Ian McKinley started well, striking a penalty in the third minute, quickly followed by an old-fashioned outside break from right wing Andrew Conway to build an 8-0 lead.
The Leinster scrum was the dominant force in the game, Jack McGrath, Aaron Dundon and Simon Shawe marching Currie backwards.
McKinley’s second shot from the shadow of the posts edged them further ahead before Leinster number eight Leo Auva’a was binned just before the interval, but they survived the 10 minutes. Then, they needed to get a move on to threaten the bonus-point four tries. Conway cut back against the grain for his second try in the 53rd minute. Replacement Ian Madigan converted from wide on the left.
Ireland Under-20 centre Brendan Macken burst through a gap and then outsmarted the last defender on the outside for a superb try to put Leinster within touching distance of the bonus point, which was achieved when Madigan made room for prop Jack McGrath to dive in.
LEINSTER:N Morris; A Conway, B Macken, E Sheridan, D Kearney; I McKinley, P O'Donohoe; J McGrath, A Dundon, S Shawe, E Sheriff, M Galarza, K McLaughlin (capt), J Murphy, L Auva'a. Replacements: I Madigan for McKinley (h-t); S Maguire for Shawe (53 mins); T Sexton for Dundon (61 mins); J Cooney for O'Donohoe (63 mins); C Ruddock for Auva'a (67 mins); M Keating for Kearney, E O'Donoghoe for Galarza (both 69 mins).
LONDON IRISH 29 ULSTER RAVENS 11
Ulster Ravens crashed out on Saturday afternoon as they were swept aside in a five-try drubbing at London Welsh.
Two penalties from Paddy Jackson and a late try from Tommy Seymour were all the Ravens – whose hopes of making the last eight ended as they fell to their third successive defeat – could manage.
