All that was good in the 2010/11 Magners League was on show for the Grand Final at a packed Thomond Park in Limerick on Saturday.
The team that finished top of the table after the regular 22 match league phase hosted the side that came second, but this season, unlike last, the result went to form.
Top seeds, Munster, who had headed the table since Round 2 and were unbeaten at home during their entire campaign, recorded a second season’s victory over Leinster and in doing so claimed the Magners League Grand Final trophy.
Leinster, for the second season in succession, came away with runners up medals, and missed the opportunity of becoming the first Celtic team to hold a domestic and European double.
The exuberant supporters led to the sense of occasion with blue and red flags adorning Thomond Park, and a pulsating game was a fitting finale for the League’s title sponsors, Magners Irish Cider.
28 MAY 2011
MUNSTER (7) 19, LEINSTER (3) 9 (Thomond Park)
Munster: Felix Jones; Doug Howlett(1T), Danny Barnes, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls(1T); Ronan O’Gara(2C), Conor Murray; Marcus Horan, Damien Varley, John Hayes; Donncha O’Callaghan (sin bin 48-58), Paul O’Connell (capt); Donnacha Ryan, David Wallace, James Coughlan. Bench: Mike Sherry(+), Wian du Preez(+), Stephen Archer, Denis Leamy(+), Niall Ronan, Peter Stringer, Paul Warwick(+).Johne Murphy, Penalty Try:1.
Replacements used: du Preez for Horan 53, Sherry for Varley 59, Leamy for O’Callaghan 68, Warwick for Jones 75.
Leinster: Isa Nacewa; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Fergus McFadden, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton(3PG), Eoin Reddan; Heinke van der Merwe, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (capt), Nathan Hines; Sean O’Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip. Bench: Aaron Dundon(+), Cian Healy(+), Stan Wright(+), Devin Toner, Kevin McLaughlin(+), Paul O’Donohoe(+), Ian Madigan.Eoin O’Malley, Replacements used: Healy for van der Merwe 59, McLaughlin for O’Brien 59, Wright for Ross 69, Dundon for Jennings 70, O’Donohoe for Reddan 77.
Scoring sequence: 12′ Howlett (T) 5-0, O’Gara (C) 7-0, 29′ Sexton (PG) 7-3, 49′ Sexton (PG) 7-6, 60′ Sexton (PG) 7-9, 66′ Earls (T) 12-9, 79′ Penalty Try (T) 17-9, O’Gara (C) 19-9.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) Attendance: 26100.