Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Leinster's Hugo Keenan. Billy Stickland/INPHO Leinster take their time to see off Scarlets in scrappy quarter-final James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jamie Osborne and Hugo Keenan scored the province’s four tries. 4.53pm, 31 May 2025 Share options Ciarán Kennedy Reports from Aviva Stadium Leinster 33 Scarlets 21 AS KICK-OFF APPROACHED at Aviva Stadium this URC quarter-final was struggling to generate a big-match feel. By the time full time arrived, Leinster were simply happy to have come through what threatened to become an uncomfortable afternoon. Leinster are back in the URC semi-finals thanks to a four-try win – the Leinster tries coming from James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jamie Osborne and Hugo Keenan – but Scarlets had their say in this strange, often scrappy last eight clash. The streets surrounding the Aviva Stadium were unusually quiet in the hours before kick-off and in the early stages the contest itself almost had a pre-season feel to it. The official attendance was 12,879 – not a shockingly low number, but certainly one that got lost inside an almost 52,000 capacity stadium. The reasons were multiple – a Bank Holiday weekend, a limited DART service, the widely-held expectation that this would be plain sailing for Leinster. None of which really matters, the bottom line being Leinster booked their passage into next weekend’s semi-finals and can look forward to a home clash with Glasgow Warriors. Initially, this game had looked to be heading toward a comprehensive Leinster win. The opening 10 minutes was all Leinster, and in that time they struck for two tries from Lowe and Gibson-Park. Lowe’s try, four minutes in, was sharp and accurate and sourced in the winger’s booming kick into the Scarlets half. Leinster built territory and Sam Prendergast swung a sweet pass out the back before Keenan and Ryan Baird added touches, surviving a couple of Scarlets’ half-blocks, with Lowe going over in an acre of space in the corner. Prendergast’s first shot at the posts sailed well wide. Gibson-Park added the second in the ninth minute, benefitting from Jack Conan’s linebreak off a short Lowe pass. This time Prendergast tapped over the extra two from close range. It looked ominous for the Scarlets, but the Welsh side held their nerve. Leinster continued to enjoy most of the possession but a cutting edge was missing. After that strong start the province added just one Prendergast penalty across the next 30 minutes. Instead of kicking on, elements of their play broke down – overthrowing a lineout in the Scarlets 22, Prendergast failing to find touch with a free kick. Scarlets were spirited and scrappy and capitalised on the few opportunities that landed in their hands. The first, 20 minutes in, saw the visitors take full advantage of their first meaningful attack – using a lineout to sweep to the left and score through Tom Rogers, the winger released by Sam Costelow’s excellent hands. Costelow stepped up to add the conversion as Leinster rued some questionable defending. Their second try arrived on the stroke of half-time, Leinster getting turned from one tryline to the other. Leinster were pumping at the Scarlets line and their third try looked inevitable. Then it all crumbled – Gibson-Park’s pass hitting Prendergast but spilling from the out-half’s hands. Ellis Mee snapped onto the loose ball and got his boot to it before Osborne could smother the fire. Mee’s second kick pushed the ball infront of fullback Blair Murray, who had Jordie Barrett biting at his heels. Murray’s two short kicks kept the ball in his control as he arched away from the All Blacks to dive on the ball and score. Advertisement Scarlets' Blair Murray and Leinster's Jordie Barrett chase the ball.Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO After a quick TMO check, the grounding was deemed good and Costelow’s conversion made it a one-point game at half-time. The teams retreated as the heavens opened, soaking a crowd fully contained within the lower tiers of the ground. The downpour ended as the second half got off a to slow, cagey start. Five minutes in, Prendergast cut Scarlets open by sending a smart chip over the top for Osborne to score, despite a somewhat unconvincing TMO check. Prendergast’s conversion moved Leinster eight clear. Scarlets had a chance to hit back immediately – Leinster going off feet, Costelow smacking his shot wide to the right. Leinster kept prodding. Dan Sheehan, sprung from the bench, went rampaging down the wing off a short lineout. After Sheehan bounced a defender Leinster moved the ball right to left, with Osborne sending Lowe hunting in the corner. Lowe was swallowed up by Scarlets but a penalty followed as front-rower Alec Hepburn saw yellow. Leinster went again but the attack broke down as the ball was knocked-on. Jimmy O'Brien is tackled by Sam Costelow.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The pressure was building and moments later Leinster had their fourth, with Sheehan again the catalyst. His charge and block on Archie Hughes put Leinster back on the offensive, with RG Snyman grinding out some extra yards before Prendergast and Barrett combined to send Keenan racing through. Prendergast should have scored the conversion, but for the first time in a long time, Leinster were looking comfortable again, 13 up heading into the final quarter. Both coaches turned to their benches as Prendergast added another penalty. Entering the final 10, Scarlets sparked back into life – Ioan Llyod producing a nice delayed pass, with Vaea Fifita and Marnus van der Merwe using clever hands before Johnny Williams crossed, with Lloyd converting to leave his team chasing a nine-point game. The Scarlets still had hope, but were damaged by the loss of Fifita moments later – the backrower yellow-carded following high contact on Keenan. Prendergast kicked the penalty and Leinster had the finish line in sight. Leinster scorers: Tries: Lowe, Gibson-Park, Osborne, Keenan. Penalties: Prendergast [3/3] Conversion: Prendergasts [2/4] Scarlets scorers: Tries: Rogers, Murray, Williams Penalty: Costelow [0/1] Conversions: Costelow [2/2], Lloyd [1/1]. LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan (Ciarán Frawley, 74) Jimmy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park (Luke McGrath, 66); Andrew Porter (Jack Boyle, 66), Rónan Kelleher (Dan Sheehan, 47), Thomas Clarkson (Rabah Slimani, 58); Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (RG Snyman, 47); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier (Scott Penny, 29), Jack Conan (capt) (Max Deegan, 67). SCARLETS: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers (Macs Page, 64), Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow (Ioan Lloyd, 58), Archie Hughes (Efan Jones, 74); Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias (Marnus van der Merwe, 51), Henry Thomas (Sam Wainwright, 64); Alex Craig (Kemsley Mathias, 57), Sam Lousi; Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt) (Dan Davis, 74), Taine Plumtree. Yellow cards: Alec Hepburn 55, Fifita 73 Attendance: 12,879 Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU) Ciarán Kennedy Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Leinster take their time to see off Scarlets in scrappy quarter-final”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Leinster take their time to see off Scarlets in scrappy quarter-final”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... Simon Yates on verge of Giro triumph after epic stage 20 effort Sharks v Munster, URC quarter-final 25 mins ago FreePunishment Antrim boss Davy Fitzgerald receives 8-week ban for controversial comments 31 mins ago Sinner powers into French Open last 16, Pegula and Andreeva advance Bulls see off plucky Edinburgh to book home semi with either Sharks or Munster Leinster v Scarlets, URC quarter-final Freeopposing view 'It's a week on the gargle. 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