United Rugby Championship: Leinster edge Munster in Dublin

Ireland hooker Sheehan scored Leinster's second try

Leinster remain top of the United Rugby Championship table after a hard-fought 21-16 win against inter-provincial rivals Munster at Aviva Stadium.

Defending champions Munster made a bright start to the game and went ahead with an early Craig Casey try.

However tries from Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan and Jordan Larmour sealed Leinster's fifth win from their opening six URC fixtures.

Graham Rowntree's Munster have lost two of their first six games.

Hosts Leinster made five changes from the side that comfortably defeated Scarlets last weekend.

Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan made their first appearances of the season, while Tadhg Furlong got his first start of the campaign.

It was Munster, who showed six changes from last weekend, that would make a blistering start to the game in Dublin, with Casey crossing for the opening try on six minutes.

He drove home after a free-flowing move from the defending champions, with Calvin Nash offloading for Casey to finish, before Jack Crowley kicked the conversion.

Crowley then extended their advantage with a penalty as Leinster made a number of unforced errors.

The home side would grow into the game however, and Gibson-Park's fine individual try on 24 minutes would galvanise them.

Leinster capitalised on a loose offload from Tadgh Beirne, as Gibson-Parked kicked the ball on before charging forward and diving over.

Replacement fly-half Ciaran Frawley, who came on for the injured Ross Byrne, added the extras with the conversion.

Dan Sheehan then scored their second try of the evening on 35 minutes, breaking away from the maul to power through the gap.

Frawley added two further points from the conversion to give Leinster a four point lead at the break.

While it was a frantic opening to the first-half, it was a flat and sloppy start to the second period from both sides.

Crowley kicked a penalty on 53 minutes to bring it back to a one point game and Munster would then pile the pressure on in a search for another famous win against their inter-provincial rivals.

They were thwarted by a strong Leinster defence epitomised by Caelan Dorris, who won a big turnover after Munster had gone through 15 phases in their attempt to find a gap to cross.

After withstanding sustained Munster pressure, Leinster hit Rowntree's men with a sucker punch third try on 66 minutes.

Jordan Larmour weaved his way through a number of challenges before finding his way over the line.

Frawley increased their lead to eight points with a well-take conversion from the touchline.

Crowley reduced the deficit with a penalty which hit the post on it's way through as Munster attempted a late fightback.

However, Leinster would hold on for the hard-earned home victory.

Leinster: Keenan; Larmour, Ringrose (co-capt), Henshaw, O'Brien; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; McCarthy, Ryan (co-capt); Conan, van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Kelleher, Boyle, Ala'alatoa, Molony, Culhane, Murphy, Frawley, Penny

Munster: Zebo; Nash, Frisch, Scannell, Daly; Crowley, Casey; Loughman, Barron (capt), Archer; Kleyn, Beirne; Ahern, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Buckley, Kilcoyne, Ryan, Gleeson, Kendellen, Murray, Butler, McCarthy.