GLASGOW did their bit in Galway last night but in the end it was not enough.

Gregor Townsend's side had left themselves needing other results to go their way if they were to claim a home semi-final in the RaboDirect PRO12 play-offs, and as news filtered through from Dublin and Belfast last night that Leinster and Ulster had both won, Warriors knew their own result no longer mattered.

Not that Townsend, the Glasgow head coach, seemed unduly worried about the prospect of heading back to Ireland next Saturday, reasoning that although his team had lost twice to Leinster this season, on both occasions it had been by a narrow margin and this time, just maybe, luck might go their way.

"We knew Leinster and Ulster were playing at home and had a lot at stake to get the home semi-finals," he said. "It sounds as though both games were close – Ulster were behind at half- time and Leinster only a point or two ahead – but they were always favourites.

"We had a really tough match too, against a team we have not beaten here since 2007 and they came out all guns blazing. The way we handled the first half was excellent and we did not lose our confidence despite not taking two or three chances. Then we came out with the same intensity in the second half, especially in defence."

Glasgow knew before the match that a try bonus point would probably not make a difference, and that was probably just as well since Galway decided to serve up its stereotypical mix of wind and rain, the heavens opening a couple of hours before kick-off and continuing, drenching the pitch, the players and the ball.

The atmosphere at the ground was emotional as the Connacht faithful turned out in their thousands to say goodbye to a handful of players, but, more importantly, to Eric Ellwood, after 20 years of service to the province as both player and coach.

Playing with the wind, Glasgow were soon on the attack, taking the lead when a Ruaridh Jackson drop goal crept over the bar despite being mis-hit. It was enough to settle them and within a few minutes they had the first try.

Neat offloading from the forwards made the first break, with Sean Lamont cutting clear down the left and putting DTH van der Merwe in for his 10th try of the season, breaking the club record set by Thom Evans four seasons ago.

Despite Jon Welsh, the prop, being sin-binned, the Canadian internationalist should have made it two when a set-piece move put Tommy Seymour through the middle and Van der Merwe was left clear on the outside. However, Lamont's pass guddled along the floor and his team-mate knocked it on with the line open. Glasgow paid the price when Dan Parks landed his second shot at goal just before the break.

With the wind behind their team in the second half, the Connacht support were reasonably confident they could use it to overturn the deficit, as the intensity level on and off the field soared to fever pitch.

The second half was a pure war of attrition. Connacht threw everything they had into the fray but could not break the Glasgow defence, the crucial point coming when they rejected an easy three points to go for the try that might have levelled the scores. Glasgow sacked the line out to win a scrum, then cleared their lines when they were given a free kick.

It was just reward, and slowly they eased past their bout of handling mistakes to work their way upfield, with the replacements coming on to make a real difference – Stuart Hogg demonstrating what Rob Howley, the Lions backs coach, was talking about when he referred to the player's versatility.

He lined up at outside centre, and also took on the kicking duties, converting a long-range penalty to settle his side's nerves and then a touchline conversion to make it all look a little easier than it had actually been. Glasgow's second try came from the other Scottish Lion on the field, Sean Maitland, who showed clever awareness as well as a good turn of speed to cut inside and then outside the defence before sprinting for the corner and making it just as he was caught. "That's what you want to see, players putting their bodies on the line and putting their hands up for selection next week," Townsend said. "It was a very good squad performance."

On next Saturday's game he added: "Leinster have been the best attacking team in Europe the last two or three years. They may have gone through a little blip when they lost to Clermont Auvergne in a very tough pool, but they are right back to their best again, smashing Wasps and Biarritz and putting a lot of points on against the Ospreys.

"We can't wait to take them on. We have been competitive against them this season – now we will go out and aim to do even better."