Leinster 34 Newport 22
From Piaras Murphy at Donnybrook
Leinster earned themselves a Celtic League semi-final tie against either Connacht or Glasgow at Lansdowne Road next Friday night following their third victory over Newport this evening.
Leinster trailed as early as the second minute to a Shane Howarth penalty but hit back with three converted tries and a penalty in the next quarter hour.
Shane Horgan was the first to go over after just six minutes. He spotted the Newport defence in disarray and sailed through the gap unopposed from thirty metres. That try was converted by man-of-the-match Nathan Spooner and the Australian was to play a pivotal role in the rest of Leinster’s scores.
He had already added a penalty when inside the Newport 22 he cross-kicked and full back Girvan Dempsey was on hand to go over from five metres.
Spooner was again sublime with the boot on 18 minutes when he put a grubber through the Newport 22 for Hickie to touchdown.
At 24-3, Newport looked down and out but responded with two tries - one from Matt Mostyn and the second from Andy Marinof, both of which were converted by Howarth to leave just a converted try in it at the break.
Ten minutes after the restart Newport were within two points when substitute Matthew Watkins went over in the corner.
Leinster steadied the ship somewhat with another Spooner penalty just on the hour mark. With ten minutes to go the home side killed off the game when Brian O’Driscoll went over for a converted try.
