Quaid puts Munster in control

Imaginative out-half Conor Quaid helped ensure a Munster victory in the schools' interprovincial at Templeville Road yesterday against a Leinster side that underperformed.

Ross McCormack's penalty after 11 minutes had given Leinster the first advantage but they were soon working hard to make any progress. Rockwell's Denis Leamy was hugely effective in gaining yardage for Munster, helping to set up Quaid's equalising penalty on 22 minutes.

Two minutes before the break Munster wing forward John O'Connor gained possession after a somewhat reckless exchange of passing by Leinster. He covered 20 yards and then fed inside to Quaid who had the momentum to carry the ball over the line.

Now trailing 8-3, Leinster needed a positive start to the second half but lacked the discipline in the backs to maximise their potential. Instead they allowed Quaid to intercept midway through the half and create Leamy's drive for the line which resulted in Munster's second try. Quaid was also successful with the conversion.

Some 10 minutes later right wing Redmond Barry finally took advantage of the space he had been given to run in an impressive try and, with McCormack's conversion, Leinster were back within five points. Although Barry Flynn and Gavin Duffy then made some exciting breaks, the Leinster errors persisted while the Munster defence held firm.

Five minutes from time, Quaid started a passing sequence, the ball moving from Eoin Cahill to Mark Canning who had the speed to find the corner and ensure that Munster were deserving winners.

Munster: P O'Brien (PBC); N O'Brien (Crescent), K Lucey (CBC), E Cahill (St Munchin's), M Canning (CBC); C Quaid (CBC), F O'Loughlin (Ard Scoil Ris); R Callaghan (Crescent), C Tucker (St Munchin's), E McGovern (Crescent), S Keogh (St Munchin's), G Noonan (St Munchin's), D Leamy (Rockwell), J O'Connor (Crescent), D O'Neill (PBC) capt. Replacements: J Clifford (Rockwell) for Callaghan, K Sutcliffe (Rockwell) for McGovern (both 63 mins).

Leinster: P Treacy (Clongowes); R Barry (Roscrea), G Duffy (Roscrea), B Flynn (Terenure), R McCormack (Blackrock); S Byrne (St Michael's), R Jones (Kilkenny); J Lyne (Castleknock), S Delaney (Blackrock), J Danagher (Blackrock), R Gernon (Terenure), C Queenan (St Mary's), A Kelly (Terenure), R Connolly (Presentation Bray), S Jennings (St Mary's) capt. Replacements: S Rockett (St Michael's) for Gernon (39 mins), J Keogh (Terenure) for Danagher (50 mins), B Blaney (Terenure) for Delaney (69 mins).

Referee: S McDowell (URS).