Munster A were narrowly beaten 53-49 by Leinster A in a Cara Cup thriller in Massachusetts on Wednesday night with a stirring second-half Munster comeback falling just short.

Munster A were narrowly beaten 53-49 by Leinster A in a Cara Cup thriller in Massachusetts on Wednesday night with a stirring second-half Munster comeback falling just short.

Alan Tynan, Keynan Knox, James McCarthy (two), captain Jack Stafford, Billy Scannell and Duncan Williams were the Munster A try-scorers with Ben Healy perfect off the tee as he kicked all seven conversions.

The first half saw Leinster A dominate and they led 41-14 at the interval with converted Tynan and Knox tries Munster A’s two scores.

A McCarthy double on 46 and 49 minutes reduced the arrears significantly and the Leinster A lead was down to 13 points with half an hour to play, 41-28.

Stafford was over for Munster’s fifth try just after the hour but the Leinster lead had stretched to 18 points by the 70th minute as the tries kept coming.

Replacements Scannell and Williams touched down late on but the clock was against Munster and Leinster took the points.

Munster A: Luke Kingston; Conor Phillips, Alan Tynan, Seán French, James McCarthy; Ben Healy, Jack Stafford (C); Luke Masters, Eoghan Clarke, Keynan Knox; Cian Reale, Paddy Kelly; Seán O’Connor, Ross O’Neill, Jack Daly.

Replacements (all used): Billy Scannell, Shane O’Driscoll, David Jennings, Duncan Williams, James Hart.