Replacement Ryan Lamb emerged as the unlikely hero, putting his kicking demons behind him to boot two crucial second-half penalties for Irish, with the match-winning kick coming in the 80th minute.

Leinster will feel aggrieved as this was a match they could and should have won. They were the side that came closest to breaking the try deadlock, but they never built on a strong opening quarter.

Jonathan Sexton’s third successful penalty of this defence-dominated clash levelled it with five minutes to go, only for Lamb to brilliantly steal the headlines with a thumping kick from just inside the hosts’ half.