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O’Leary Snatches Victory From The Jaws of Defeat.

10th September 2004 By Munster Rugby

O’Leary Snatches Victory From The Jaws of Defeat.

Munster set themselves up for a championship decider next weekend when a try deep in injury time from scrum-half Dave O’Leary earned his side a 23-17 win over Leinster in Donnybrook.

Munster set themselves up for a championship decider next weekend when a try deep in injury time from scrum-half Dave O’Leary earned his side a 23-17 win over Leinster in Donnybrook.

With the defending champions trailing 17-16 as the game drew to a close, Munster were camped on the Leinster line but being denied by some stern defence. Then, with out-half Barry Keeshan lying deep in the pocket, the expectation was of a drop-goal attempt. Instead of throwing the ball, O’Leary threw a dummy which caught the Leinster defence totally flat-footed and the UCC man galloped over for the crucual score with Keeshan adding the conversion.

Three Keeshan penalties and his conversion of Breffni O’Donnell’s try left Munster 16-12 up at half-time and they held this until the 68th minute when a John Murphy try looked certain to give the home side victory. However, to their great credit Munster stuck to their task and that persistence was rewarded in the closing minutes.

Munster: Denis Hurley; Ciaran O’Boyle, Breffni O’Donnell, Brian Cahill Paul Hurley; Barry Keeshan, Dave O’Leary; Rory Brosnan, Robert Quinn, Ger Collins (David Ryan, 53 min); Ross Noonan, Mark Melbourne; Brendan Guilfoyle Rory Geoghegan (Jonathan Ryan, 66 min), Michael Carroll

Referee: Colin Stanley (I.R.F.U.)

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