A Pro 14 game that promised a little bit of bite, Leinster have found some retribution on the scoreboard following last year's convincing defeat to Connacht. However, Dominic Robertson-McCoy found himself sent-off for a sickening stamp on Leinster's Josh van der Flier.
According to Leinster stalwart Cian Healy, certain members of the Champions Cup winning side were incensed after John Muldoon was afforded the opportunity of seeing out his Connacht career with a late conversion.
In the sporting sense, it was irrelevant; merely bringing Connacht's winning tally to 47-10. However, arriving down in Galway for today's fixture, one got the impression Leinster were coming with a point to prove.
Leaving their mark on the scoreboard, a Connacht penalty converted early on was the only real impression they'd leave on the scoreboard. When Robertson-McCoy saw red, Leinster had opened up a 20-3 lead and were looking absolutely certain to leave Galway with the win.
Double-checking with his TMO, the referee was left in doubt that the red card was his only recourse.
70: Red Card!
Dominic Robertson-McCoy sent off for a 'deliberate stamp to the head' of Josh van der Flier. Connacht are down to 14 men.
LIVE now on eir sport 1! #GuinnessPRO14 #CONvLEI pic.twitter.com/V5HEVHCSJQ— eir Sport (@eirSport) September 29, 2018
Earlier on in this tie, Eddie O'Sullivan had criticised the match referee for his unwillingness to punish a tip-tackle with as much as a yellow card.
"It's a shocking decision. It's a yellow card minimum. If [the referee] pulled out the red there you could say it was a harsh red, but it was definitely a yellow and I think he backed out of it.
"It defies logic. He went above the horizontal and came down on his shoulder ... there have been red cards for less."
"It is a shocking decision. It is a yellow card minimum"
Eddie O'Sullivan can't believe there wasn't a yellow card shown for a potential tip tackle on Robin Copeland. #GuinnessPRO14 #CONvLEI pic.twitter.com/egopu4qW2X— eir Sport (@eirSport) September 29, 2018
