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It’s hard to know where to begin. Even before the kick off to the Leinster Rugby League final in Tullow there was a lack of intensity about both team’s preparations.

The warm ups were less than taxing. No sign of anyone bursting out of their jerseys to get at the opposition which one associates with rugby union.

Then with both teams on the pitch and the four match officials present the game still started ten minutes late. All very easy going.

There was a lack of urgency about the affair. Having said that it grew on you as the game progressed.

One great plus was the lack of penalties. There was only one in the first half. The contest flowed even if it was a tad pedestrian at times.

The set scrum was straightforward enough with the scrum half almost passing the ball to himself through the feet of the lock. No huffing and puffing. Very civil.

The intensity grew as the contest progressed. It seems to be the secret of this game. The slow build up. In the end we were treated to a nail-biting finish with the Dublin Exiles deserving their two-point win.

It would have been difficult to predict such a result after ten minutes. Crusaders’ Danny Barron opened the scoring after good work by Tommy Ratahi.

Five minutes later a skipped pass saw George Campbell in for another try. It was early days but the Carlow side looked set for victory.

How wrong that assessment was. On 15 minutes Carl de Cheny changed the direction of play with a sweet diagonal run. The Carlow defence didn’t lay a finger on him as he touched down for a converted try. Five minutes later the defence went absent once more as Leo Auva scored.

The rules of the game allowed substitutes to come and go almost at will. It didn’t take away from the flow of the game but it may have been a factor in Carlow’s poor defensive display in the first half which cost them the Leinster title.

Another surge by Scott Broughan which originated just inside the Crusaders half yielded another try. With six minutes to half time Graham Crawford bulldozed through weak Carlow tackling. Crusaders’ ten-point lead had been obliterated.

It was then the turn of the Dublin Exiles to cough up a soft try. Even so Tommy Ratahi did well to sprint clear for a try. It was the last action of the half as the Exiles led 20-14.

Carlow dominated the early stages of the second half. On 49 minutes Danny Barron grabbed his second try but the conversion was missed.

The Crusaders have a number of players with international experience and one of these, Darragh Williamson, put in a huge hit to force a change over.

We now had a pulsating Leinster final. Both sides never gave an inch in pursuit of a place in the all-Ireland final. David Barron was bundled into touch after a sweet pass from Stuart O’Malley.

The Carlow defence was watertight now but ominously the Exiles enjoyed the best of the possession.

The pressure had to tell. First half try scorer, Auva, made the crucial break and sent in Carl de Cheny for the winning try. Carlow needed two scores.

They hit back immediately with Ratahi getting his second touch down. Gibbons converted.

With time almost up and executing their fifth play it needed a bit of magic. A judicious kick could have unhinged the Dublin defence.

It didn’t happen. The Exiles smothered the ball to bring an end to the Crusaders effort.

Carlow Crusaders: Danny Barron, Stuart O’Malley, Paddy O’Connor, Taka Stewart, Jim Julian, Shane Mullins, Tommy Ratahi, Darragh Williamson, John Farrell, Wes Kavanagh, Eddie Barron, David Barron, Sean Hennessy, Bob O’Grofa, Timmy O’Donoghue, Keith Barron, George Campbell, Richie Kidd, Stevie Gibbons.

Ref: Paul Baxter (Ulster Rugby League)