UNDER-20 INTERPROVINCIALS/Leinster 26 Munster 12: IT TOOK a smart finish from scrumhalf David Shanahan and a blockdown from centre Tom Farrell to push Leinster clear of Munster in this super-competitive encounter at Donnybrook last night.

It was tit-for-tat in the first half as Leinster looked for fast ball into space and Munster countered through a powerful scrum and swift work at the breakdown.

Leinster centre Tom Daly struck four penalties to two from Munster scrumhalf Brian Haugh, though the home side were reduced to 13 near the end of the half.

Referee Stuart Gaffikin issued a flurry of cards, binning a third Leinster player for Haugh to narrow the gap to 12-9 in the 43rd minute.

It was soon level when Daly was too slow to roll away from a ruck and Haugh made him pay from left of the posts.

Then, Shanahan intervened on a weaving run. Daly’s conversion made it 19-12.

But they needed Farrell’s charge down for the insurance points, converted by replacement Liam Burke.

LEINSTER: J Fitzpatrick; M McFarland, T Farrell, T Daly, E Quinn; B Holland, D Shanahan; E Byrne (capt), B Byrne, D O’Byrne; J Sexton, G Thornbury; D Leavy, J van der Flier, P Timmins. Replacements: J Lawless for O’Byrne (30 mins), K Murphy for Lawless (h-t), D Lawler for Sexton (51 mins), R O’Loughlin for Quinn (68 mins), L Burke for Shanahan (72 mins), C Kilcoyne for B Byrne (74 mins), J Glynn for Holland (76 mins), C Owende for Thornbury (78 mins).

MUNSTER: D Sweetnam; R Jermyn, H McNulty, R Scannell, A Enright; T Kiersey, B Haugh; N Horan, W Foley, B Scott; S McCarthy, J Madigan; J ODonoghue, D Ryan, J Fitzgerald (capt). Replacements: D O’Connell for Madigan, J Kind for Ryan (both 58 mins), S O’Leary for Scannell, M Abbott for Foley (both 68 mins), C O’Donnell for Horan (69 mins), B Nugent for Haugh (70 mins), D Hartnett for Scott (73 mins), J McInerney for Enright (77 mins).

Referee: S Gaffikan (IRFU).