‘That drives us on’ – Joe McCarthy aims cheeky message to Leinster haters ahead of ‘stuff of dreams’ URC final at Croker

JOE McCARTHY sent a pointed message to Leinster critics after they booked their place in the URC Grand Final.

Leo Cullen’s men will meet the Vodacom Bulls at Croke Park after beating the Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.

Seb Daly/Sportsfile

It gives them the chance to end the season with silverware after losing to Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup semi-finals.

Leinster last won the competition in 2021 – when it was still called the Pro14 – and Joe McCarthy is looking forward to getting a chance to end the four-year wait.

He told RTE: “Definitely needed that.

“It is our first URC final so it is massive for us.

“We need fans behind us now. We are into Croke Park so it is exactly where we want to be.

“There is always pressure.

“We have never reached a URC final, disappointment this year already so we want to finish strong want the fans backing the side.

“I think the fans were great today. We need more of that next week.”

McCarthy could not resist aiming a dig at critics of the province when asked by Jamie Heaslip what the team’s motivation was.

He said: “We know everyone loves to hate Leinster. That definitely drives us on.

“We have a great fanbase and don’t really care about the outside noise – what you guys say, what other fans say.”

Saturday’s game was played in front of 15,762 people – a slight improvement on the 12,879 that attended their quarter-final win over Scarlets in the Aviva last weekend.

There is sure to be a bigger attendance at Croke Park for the final against the Bulls on June 14.

And the Ireland international deemed the occasion as the stuff of dreams.

He beamed: “It is unbelievable.

“To play in Croke Park in a URC final is the stuff you dream of as a kid. It is why you play the game.

“We want a huge crowd out at the game.

“It will be a great day hopefully and we will rip into this week.”