Late try blitz sweeps aside Leinster's good work

Leinster's gallantry did not suffice at Donnybrook last night as three tries in the closing stages allowed Australia to maintain their country's proud record of never having lost a schools' match in Ireland.

The home side led 22-9 with eight minutes of normal time remaining but could not muster the requisite defence against the strong-running tourists as tired limbs proved their ultimate undoing.

There was much to admire in the guts and tenacity that Leinster displayed - from a hardworking pack in which openside captain David O'Brien was outstanding to the midfield partnership of John Hearty and Ken Copeland. Full back Ross McCarron also had a fine game, at as did both wings.

Leinster's lack of control at the lineout was the single biggest blight on an impressive first-half performance. The communication between hooker David Gavin and his jumpers was clearly malfunctioning and it cost the home side turnovers inside the Australian 22 on several occasions.

Twice at the start of the second half the home side opted to kick penalties to touch metres from the Australian line. Their approach work warranted a better reward.

They may have been on the receiving end of some crunching hits but the Leinster players, six months younger than the visitors, never took a backward step.

The Australian midfield handling looked slick in the opening exchanges but gradually, as the pressure intensified, the error rate spiralled. Leinster took the lead on two minutes when scrumhalf David Connellan kicked a penalty but the visitors' speed of thought and intelligent angles allowed them a period of concerted pressure in which outhalf David Dillon kicked two penalties.

Connellan landed his second penalty to level matters at 6-6 on 17 minutes and a piece of opportunism allowed Leinster to break the deadlock five minutes before the interval.

Leinster were awarded a scrum five metres out. Outhalf Greg Stafford delivered a lovely flat pass for Ross McCarron to race between the centres and score under the posts. Connellan converted.

Connellan kicked a penalty on 43 minutes and then a clearly-concerned Australia brought on three of their bench. Lyons reduced the deficit with a penalty, Connellan responding with two similar strikes to put Leinster 22-9 in front.

Australia increased the pace and intensity and gaps appeared. Replacement full back Chris Siale raced in for a try on 62 minutes. Second row Simon Hockings had another seven minutes later. Lyons converted both.

In a finish which flattered the winners, left wing Kieran Massey danced his way past a couple of defenders for a try and Lyons's conversion was the match's last action.

SCORING SEQUENCE - 2 mins: Connellan penalty, 3-0; 7 mins: Dillon pen, 3-3; 10 mins: Dillon pen, 3-6; 17 mins: Connellan pen, 6-6; 32 mins: McCarron try, Connellan con, 13-6. Half-time: 13-6.

43 mins: Connellan pen, 16-6; 48 mins: Lyons pen, 16-9; 52 mins: Connellan pen, 19- 9; 60 mins: Connellan pen, 22-9; 62 mins: Siale try, Lyons con, 22-16; 69 mins: Hockings try, Lyons con, 22-23; 82 mins: Massey try, Lyons con, 22-30.

LEINSTER: R McCarron (Gonzaga); S Grissing (St. Marys), J Hearty (Blackrock), K Copeland (Blackrock), M Hewitt (Belvedere); G Stafford (Castleknock), D Connellan (Clongowes); C O'Byrne (St. Marys), D Gavin (St. Michaels), K Doyle (CBC Monkstown); K McLaughlin (Gonzaga), A Houlihan (Clongowes); C Treston (Blackrock), J Rockett (St Michael's), D O'Brien (Belvedere, capt). Replacements: J Mannion (Blackrock) for Gavin 53 mins; E O'Meara (Belvedere) for O'Byrne 69 mins; M Hayes (Belvedere) for Doyle 69 mins ; O Cullen (Blackrock) for McLaughlin 69 mins.

AUSTRALIA: A Quinlivan; J Colligan, J Hunt, J Slatter, K Massey; D Dillon, J Valentine; R Pearce, L Holmes, R Blake; H McMeniman, S Hockings; L Tomiki, S Lilomaiava (capt), R Brown. Replacements: C Lyons for Dillon 30 mins; M Chapman for Lilomaiava h-t ime; C Siale for Quinlivan 44 mins; O Avai for Brown 44 mins; J Tufuga for Pearce 44 mins.

Referee: M Kilgore (Ulster).