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Dan Sheridan/INPHO

As it happened: Leinster v Connacht, Pro14

We went minute-by-minute as provinces west and east met in Dublin.

Good evening. You’re either just in time for our liveblog of Leinster v Connacht, or begging for some entertainment after a fairly dull second half in this evening’s opening inter-pro.

Kick-off at the RDS is at 19.35 (eir Sport), so go get yourself a comforting drink or a Saturday night treat and get back here for the action.

As is almost customary, there have been some late changes.

Leinster have ruled out replacements Tom Clarkson and Josh Murphy, with Greg McGrath and David Hawkshaw stepping into the 23.

Connacht’s bench is also tweaked as Kieran Marmion pulls out of the warm-up and Colm Reilly is now the deputy scrum-half.

Leinster:

15. Max O’Reilly
14. Andrew Smith
13. Jimmy O’Brien
12. Rory O’Loughlin
11. Dave Kearney
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Luke McGrath (captain)

1. Peter Dooley
2. James Tracy
3. Michael Bent
4. Ross Molony
5. Devin Toner
6. Ryan Baird
7. Scott Penny
8. Dan Leavy

Replacements:

16. Seán Cronin
17. Ed Byrne
18. Greg McGrath
19. Jack Conan
20. WIll Connors
21. Hugh O’Sullivan
22. David Hawkshaw
23. Liam Turner

Connacht:

15. John Porch
14. Peter Sullivan
13. Sammy Arnold
12. Tom Daly
11. Alex Wootton
10. Jack Carty
9. Caolin Blade

1. Denis Buckley
2. Shane Delahunt
3. Dominic Robertson-McCoy
4. Gavin Thornbury
5. Quinn Roux (captain)
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Conor Oliver
8. Sean Masterson

Replacements:

16. Jonny Murphy
17. Matthew Burke
18. Conor Kenny
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Cian Prendergast
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Diarmuid Kilgallen
23. Ben O’Donnell

Referee: Chris Busby [IRFU].

KICK-OFF: We’re under way at a very, very chilly RDS. Peter Stringer even put his hat on ahead of this one. It’s that cold.

3 mins:  Excellent bright start from Connacht, that lovely high tempo sustained as they move through the phases and they threaten the line until Shane Delahunt spills the ball over it under tackle pressure.

6 mins: We’re still with the resulting scrum after that knock-on, and it comes to be a penalty for Leinster as the blue pack get a shove on from their five metre line.

Leinster’s promising young out-half (*checks notes) Jonathan Sexton clears his lines.

TRY! Leinster 0 Connacht 5 (Carty ’9)

Jack Carty is the quickest thinker around and he showed it there, reacting rapidly to the sight of Ross Molony acting as scrum-half to pick off the lock’s laboured pass.

Carty still had work to do as he grabbed the ball on half way, but he pinned his ears back and burned off Sexton’s covering run with ease.

Leinster 0 Connacht 7

15 mins: Carty had a chance to make Connacht’s early lead a double-figure one, but his penalty goes off target. Was by no means a gimme.

20 mins: Leinster are on the wrong side of the penalty count and Connacht are well on top in terms of territory. Nothing comes easily against Leinster, though, and Leo Cullen’s pack come up with a big line-out steal on their own five-metre line to deny their guests a threatening platform.

TRY! Leinster 0 Connacht 12 (Carty ’22)

Absolutely brilliant from Connacht. Carty was at the heart of the initial break, coming up in support of Caolin Blade’s incision into the final third. Leinster scrambled, but could not muster the numbers to force Connacht back and Carty crashed over with Quinn Roux leeching.

Carty missed the conversion.

TRY! Leinster 5 Connacht 12 (Penny ’25)

Scott Penny scampers in for a cheap try from Connacht’s point of view, invaluable from Leinster’s.

The score came after Jonathan Sexton went off for a HIA. We put a little too much faith in any Leinster player slotting a straightforward conversion, but Luke McGrath was off target. So the score remains:

Leinster 5 Connacht 12

28 mins:  The rigours of cold weather rugby amid a pandemic are on display. With Sexton gone, Jimmy O’Brien was slotting in as 10 – evidently late call-in David Hawkshaw wasn’t deemed ready – but O’Brien required treatment too after a blow there.

On the Connacht side, Jack Carty appeared to be stuggling with some soft tissue complaint, but he’s right as rain again.

PENALTY! Leinster 5 Connacht 15 (Carty ’32)

Leinster have a hill to climb here.

34 mins: Brilliant stuff from John Porch, hunting down O’Brien and punishing the slightest indecision in the Leinster 22 before the cavalry arrived to force a penalty.

PENALTY! Leinster 5 Connacht 18 (Carty ’35)

News from the medics is that Johnny Sexton has not passed his HIA.

The veteran out-half didn’t look physically at his sharpest while he was on the field, but the head knock is an added concern to start the New Year.

38 mins: And again! Connacht are in vicious form without the ball. Tom Daly now hunts down the man in possession deep in the Leinster 22 and they force a turnover that could allow them extend their lead approaching half-time.

TRY! Leinster 5 Connacht 23 (Wootton ’40)

Connacht went for pick and drives, but after two goes under the posts, there was too much space to ignore out on the left.

They sought it out and got their reward as Wootton dotted down by the left flag.

Carty nails a brilliant conversion to ring up a jaw dropping half-time scoreline.

HALF-TIME: Leinster 5 Connacht 25

The second half is off and running. How will Leinster go about digging their way out of this one?

TRY! Leinster 10 Connacht 25 (Luke McGrath ’44)

Well, Leinster are digging their way out of trouble by absolutely blasting their way through rucks. The fruit of their efforts brings a chance for McGrath to canter on through to the posts.

Jimmy O’Brien adds the easy conversion and the comeback is on.

Leinster 12 Connacht 25

PENALTY! Leinster 12 Connacht 28 (Carty ’47)

That’s what Connacht must do from here, keep the heads. Pick off scores and kill any swells of blue momentum as quick as they possibly can.

53 mins:

Leinster have sent in the heavy artillery in the form of Jack Conan and Sean Cronin, but the hooker’s first line-out is over-thrown and it sucks the air of out the latest bout of Leinster pressure as the error was deep in the Connacht 22.

Leinster will still feel they have enough firepower to reel in this 14-point gap in the last quarter.

TRY! Leinster 17 Connacht 28 (Baird ’57)

Baird crashes in the corner after a trademark barrelling run from Sean Cronin, who caps off his break with a fine offload for the big versatile forward to finish.

The kick is wayward again, but will it cost Leinster?

61 mins: Leinster looked to be in for another try as O’Brien romped up the right and assisted the finish from David Hawkshaw, but the TMO is on hand to see obstruction in the build-up from Andrew Smith.

Connacht breath a big sigh of relief as it remains Leinster 17 Connacht 28

63 mins:

Scott Penny took a bad bang there, so Dan Leavy is being sent back into the fray a few minutes after Will Connors was sent on to replace him.

Leinster having to show all their strength in depth these days.

68 mins: Connacht have the winning post in sight now. They won’t mind a set of phases that was low tempo as it ate away at the clock.

Even after Leinster steal and clear, the ball sinks into Carty’s arms and he drills a sublime touch-finder through traffic to pin Leinster back again.

71 mins: Carty, John Porch and Shane Delahunt are coming to the fore now for Connacht as they chase this historic result.

Leinster’s defence is a tough nut to crack, but the Western province will be content with where they are playing these late minutes.

TRY! Leinster 17 Connacht 35 (Tom Daly ’74)

Content with territory? Maybe I’ll just shut my big mouth. Tom Daly comes up with a bonus point try and it’s surely the winner for the men of the west.

The former Leinster man, who left after a period ravaged by injury, picked off an intercept from Hawkshaw and grappled with would-be tacklers for 25-30 metres as he worked desperately to make the line.

He made it. And Carty made it the maximum return of seven.

2002 was the last time Connacht beat Leinster in Dublin. The RDS became Leinster’s home later in the century, so Connacht are about to taste victory at this venue for the first time ever.

Leinster are pushing for a late score that will at least earn them a point from this unreal encounter with Andy Friend’s side.

The TMO is being consulted…

TRY! Leinster 24 Connacht 35 (Byrne ’80)

 

FULL-TIME: Leinster 24 Connacht 35

Connacht gather in a huddle as the final whistle goes. They are not going cock-a-hoop over this landmark result, they want to build from it.

An amazing performance to take apart a Leinster side that struggled to patch up the holes left by their absentees by illness and injury.

Jack Carty is your man of the match. The Athlone man is a sensational talent.

We’ll have a full match report and plenty of reaction from the RDS to come but from me, it’s good night.

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50 Comments
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    Mute Paraic Faherty
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:26 PM

    Carty out there playing to prove a point! Should be 1st choice IRE No.10 on this form.

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    Mute PScald
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:15 PM

    @Paraic Faherty: himself and Billy burns are playing great stuff

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    Mute reginald
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    @Paraic Faherty: agreed billy burns and jack carthy should be ireland’s no 10.sextons days looked numbered.he don’t influence matches anymore and he needs to step aside for the better of the irish team

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    Mute Darren Mullins
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:23 PM

    @reginald: he will step aside when they prove they are better than him and take it from him.. but as of now he is the best – end of !

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    Mute David Finn
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    Jan 3rd 2021, 12:04 AM

    @Paraic Faherty: he looked flabby and disinterested this evening to be honest.

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    Mute Michael Murray
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 7:42 PM

    First time I’ve ever agreed with Toland…. A mystery why Denis Buckley has never got an international cap

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    Mute Scott Crossfield
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:15 PM

    Excellent aggression and energy from Connacht so far and exposing the pillars and Luke picking and looking before passing.

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    Mute John Lowry
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:51 PM

    This is the kind of rugby you want to be watching – Massively competitive and lots of little cameos asking tons of questions

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    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:18 PM

    Cracking game after a frustrating Ulster Munster game

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    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:19 PM

    @Mark O’Donohoe: and Connacht were 12/1…

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    Mute Michael Murray
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:14 PM

    Well Daly was shading myMOTM before try….certainly is now

    19
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    Mute tomas o beag
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:20 PM

    Some of them leinster backs aren’t up to it at all

    20
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    Mute Daithí O' Donnabhain
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:30 PM

    Connachts aggressive linespeed is proving really decisive. Under strength Leinster team, but Connacht deservedly well ahead & varying their plays keeping Leinster guessing.
    Baird stands out from a great Leinster backrow.

    14
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    Mute John Lowry
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:32 PM

    @Daithí O’ Donnabhain: a great backrow on paper perhaps – need to get their act together

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    Mute Cathal Carr
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:04 PM

    Connacht’s back three are costing them a lot of tries from bad positioning this season. They have been great in attack mind.

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    Mute Jan Nolan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:31 PM

    I am so so Pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan they totally deserved the win, if anyone was to beat Leinster I am so glad it was them

    9
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    Mute tomas o beag
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:14 PM

    This is what happens when you have provide for the whole Ireland squad because other teams can’t produce players

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    @tomas o beag: didn’t seem a problem during international windows at all. Strength in depth is wjat Leinster are all about.

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    Mute guineon
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:22 PM

    @tomas o beag: or maybe this is what happens when you spend 4 years blowing smoke up players and every academy lad believes he’s the next coming of BOD. Tonight has poured a fair bit of cold water on a Lot of young Leinster backs, destroyed by Connacht

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    Mute tomas o beag
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:26 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: bit of an issue when you can’t play majority of your squad

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    Mute BMJF
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:28 PM

    @guineon: or maybe this is what happens when you play an odd mix of a team and give some young lads in Year 1 of academy a shot at an inter pro. Probably weakest Leinster team I’ve seen for a long time especially after HIA on Sexton.
    Great experience but clearly didnt work. I’m sure the whole Covid situation at Leinster hasn’t helped prep either.
    Great play by Connacht all the same – they can only play what’s in front of them

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    Mute tomas o beag
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:28 PM

    @guineon: destroyed?? No out half, team of mostly youths and won by 13 points and disallowed try

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    Mute JJ Doyle
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:28 PM

    @guineon: t

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    Mute Kohn Jeenan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:30 PM

    @tomas o beag: so there was ~40 players out was there?

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    Mute JJ Doyle
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:31 PM

    @guineon: two academy players in the back line one of them played well the other was quiet I think they got destroyed by having a 13 at out half and throwing terrible passes and taking up the ball a lot Tom daly is also from Leinster Arnold Munster not Connacht and they are the two that destroyed them

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    Mute Kohn Jeenan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:32 PM

    @JJ Doyle: Carty from Connacht man of the match stop crying

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    Mute JJ Doyle
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 11:32 PM

    @Kohn Jeenan: didn’t say he wasn’t man of the match just said the centers played well and really stop crying what age are u really representing your province well and btw come back to me when u win a European cup

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    Mute David Finn
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    Jan 3rd 2021, 12:06 AM

    @tomas o beag: oh dear JJ.

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    Mute JJ Doyle
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:13 PM

    No out half really showing

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    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:25 PM

    @JJ Doyle: have you missed Carty… 2 tries… running the show…

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    Mute John Rogers
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:13 PM

    @JJ Doyle: I don’t follow. Do you mean that Carty is having a bad game?

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    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:16 PM

    @John Rogers: no he’s been brilliant

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    Mute John Rogers
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:20 PM

    @Mark O’Donohoe: Sorry, I was asking the original poster.

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    Mute JJ Doyle
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:21 PM

    @John Rogers: for Leinster having no out half playing when sexton went off

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    Mute Con O'Hannrachàin
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    Jan 3rd 2021, 4:33 PM

    @JJ Doyle: Jack Carty’s 25 points is the most scored by a single player against Leinster in the professional era

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    Mute Jan Nolan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:25 PM

    I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win

    3
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    Mute John Lowry
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:43 PM

    Fascinating last half hour coming up

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    Mute Pete McEvoy
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    Where does this leaves Leinster now in terms of playoff spot?

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    Mute BMJF
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:29 PM

    @Pete McEvoy: have they not won every game up to this point??

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    Mute tomas o beag
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:29 PM

    @Pete McEvoy: have to beat ulster with bonus point basically

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    Mute Decko49
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:31 PM

    @BMJF: So have Ulster

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    Mute Decko49
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:37 PM

    @tomas o beag: And Maybe make sure Ulster don’t get anything from the game

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    Mute John Lowry
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:36 PM

    Now we’re talkin

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    Mute Daithí O' Donnabhain
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:40 PM

    @John Lowry: Probably got a major bollocking from Cullen & Lancaster in the dressing room. They’re a different team now, should be a crackin second half.

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    Mute John Lowry
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:44 PM

    @Daithí O’ Donnabhain: totally

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    Mute Jan Nolan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:31 PM

    I am so so Pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan they totally deserved the win, if anyone was to beat Leinster I am so glad it was them

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    Mute Tom Murphy
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:39 PM

    @Jan Nolan: why don’t you post a comment?

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    Mute Jan Nolan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:26 PM

    I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win

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    Mute Jan Nolan
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:25 PM

    I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win

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    Mute Decko49
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    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:43 PM

    @Jan Nolan: Going out on a limb here Jan. I think you’re pleased for Connacht. Correct me if I’m wrong Jan

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