Three tries from Lansdowne number eight Colin McEntee saw Leinster Development overcome a resilient Crawshays side at Donnybrook yesterday. McEntee's mobility posed all sorts of problems for Crawshays. Leinster produced four tries in all, the pick of the bunch coming in the first half when Alan McGowan released Colin Leahy, who ran unopposed to the line.
Crawshays reduced the lead to just four points in the second half when Leinster conceded a penalty try after deliberately knocking the ball forward. Crawshays wing John Dodd had the Leinster line in sight in the dying seconds but knocked on.
Leinster: G Dempsey; A Guinan, I Dwyer, G Gannon, C Leahy; A McGowan, D Hegarty; P Flavin, S Byrne, P McQuillan, R Sheriff, K Wheelock, D O'Brien, P Ward, C McEntee. Replacements: F Campion for McGowan; D O'Mahony for Hegarty; C Power for Wheelock; D O'Sullivan for Ward.
Crawshays: P Armstrong; D Manley, S Enoch, D Evans, J Dodd; S Connor, N Lloyd; M Griffiths, J Evans, S Cronk, S Rees, T Maulin, J Wilkerson, T Mouthon, P Watkins. Replacements: G Watts for Connor; Meek for Evans.
Referee: L Mayne, Munster branch.