Leinster 23-6 Cardiff Blues

Leinster (9) 23
Tries Horgan, Keogh Cons: Sexton 2 Pens: Sexton 3

Blues (6) 6
Pens: Blair 2

Full-strength Leinster made hard work of beating a weakened, but battling Cardiff Blues at the Royal Dublin Showground in the Magners League.

The visitors were shorn of a glut of Wales squad members, but were in with a shout until replacement Stephen Keogh crossed with three minutes left.

Shane Horgan scored the opening try after 11 minutes and Jonathan Sexton kicked 13 points.

Ben Blair kicked two first-half penalties for the visitors.

Sexton opened the scoring with a seventh-minute penalty and four minutes later he helped create the opening try and although it was the only touchdown of the opening period, the score was to be savoured.

Horgan's score was a gem, created by a wonderful Luke Fitzgerald run before openside flanker Sean O'Brien arrived at pace to keep the move going.

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Centre Gordon D'Arcy was next to make inroads and by the time Sexton received possession the Blues' defence was in disarray.

The fly-half's grubber was perfectly placed for Horgan to gather and score with the visitors' defence nowhere to be seen.

Sexton showed his attacking prowess by gliding through Blues veteran Gareth Thomas' attempted tackle.

But it was with his boot that the aspiring Ireland fly-half made his next telling impact, adding a penalty in the 28th minute.

Blair claimed the visitors' opening points two minutes later with his first successful shot at goal and after Welsh referee James Jones sent Jamie Heaslip to the sin-bin for failing to roll away from a tackle, the Blues' full-back added a second.

But after Thomas and Richard Mustoe combined to free Blair, the New Zealander spilled the ball with the line begging and the hosts led 13-6 at the break.

The other incident of note in the first half came when Ireland centre D'Arcy limped off late on to give national coach Declan Kidney a concern ahead of the November Tests.

Blair then missed a 44th-minute shot at goal before watching Sexton stretch the hosts' lead.

But the Blues' number 15 was not the only visitor to fluff his lines. Referee Jones justifiably earned the home fans' ire when adjudging Chris Czekaj to have touched down Sexton's grubber without carrying it over his own line.

But the Blues wing had clearly gathered infield with Brian O'Driscoll chasing the kick ahead and instead of defending a five-metre scrum, the visitors cleared from the 22-metre drop-out.

Sexton sent his next shot well wide of the uprights to leave the Blues with some hope, even though the hosts had the greater share of territory to boast.

After replacing Darren Morris in the Blues' front-row, prop Gary Powell was sin-binned for a high tackle on Leo Cullen at a maul, leaving the visitors one-man short for the remaining seven minutes.

Leinster: Nacewa; Horgan, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald; J Sexton, Reddan; Healy, Fogarty, van der Linde, Cullen, O'Kelly, McLaughlin, O'Brien, Heaslip. Replacements: Berne for O'Driscoll (79), Dempsey for D'Arcy (38), Jackman for Fogarty (67), Ross for van der Linde (41), Hines for O'Kelly (48),S Keogh for O'Brien (65).
Not used: Simon Keogh.

Cardiff Blues: Blair; Mustoe, G Thomas, Evans (Sweeney, 74), Czekaj (D James, 69); Norton-Knight, Rees; Morris, R Williams, Filise, Jones, Tito, Morgan, White, Rush. Replacements: Allinson for Rees (73), G Powell for Morris (62), R James for R. Williams (73), Down for Jones (55), Navidi for Morgan (67).

Att: 15,910

Ref: James Jones (WRU).

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