Magners League: Leinster leave it late to earn share of the spoils

Llanelli Scarlets 17-17 Leinster

Two tries in the last ten minutes helped Leinster earn a share of the spoils against Llanelli at Parc y Scarlets on Friday night.

The Blues were trailing 17-5 and looked set to leave Wales with nothing to show for their efforts, before tries from Fergus McFadden and Shane Horgan drew them level at the death.

The hosts led 9-5 at the break as Rhys Priestland knocked over three penalties, with Eoin O’Malley responding with a try for the visitors. Shane Horgan gathered a Sexton cross kick and passed inside to O’Malley, who ran in for Leinster’s only score of the half.

A penalty from Priestland and a try from Gareth Maule after 64 minutes, while Rhys Ruddock was in the sin bin, put the Scarlets in control in the second half, but Fergus McFadden gave Leinster hope with an excellent try seven minutes later, beating three defenders to touch down and put Leinster within seven points.

Five minutes later, Sexton released Horgan down the right wing and the big winger crossed for Leinster’s third try of the night. Sexton, who was having a horrible night with the boot, missing four kicks in total, landed the conversion to draw Leinster level.

Sexton had a chance to win at the death as the pack manufactured a drop goal opportunity for the out half, but he fumbled the ball as he prepared to shoot and Leinster had to be content with a draw.

Leinster move up to fifth place in the table after the result, while Scarlets remain in second place behind Munster.