Leinster remain intent on retaining this trophy for a fourth successive season following victory over Munster at donnybrook on Saturday, the foundations of which were laid by two tries by full back Brendan Burke.

Frank Lynch added a further two penalties. Steven Dunne's try was the visitors only score in the first half.

A minute after the interval centre Barry Lynn landed a drop goal to increase his side's lead. Munster replied with a try from John McCarthy but another Lynn try put the game out of Munster's reach.

LEINSTER: B Burke; E O' Toole, B Lynn, E Lynn, C Mc Glynn; F Lynch, A Finlay; H Raman, A Nash, K O' Mahoney; N Kilmartin, E Fennessy; P Furlong, N Ronan, D Maguire (Capt). Replacements: A Tallon for Mc Glynn.

MUNSTER: E Holohan; K Keohane, B Lonergan, A Guckian, C Bohane; J Maher, T Ellard; A O' Donovan, J Burke R Hogan; J Long J McCarthy; S Dunne, (Capt), J O' Connor, R Hartigan. Replacements: M Butler for Keohane, D Fitzgerald for Highfield, B O' Leary for Hartigan, N Murray for O' Donovan, C Condon for Hogan, D Taylor for Dunne.

Referee: A Kilgore (Ulster).