Leinster 19 Glasgow 15: Warriors undone

Senior Sports Writer

Sunday 13 May 2012

As they had been all season, Glasgow Warriors were showed a steely, competitive spirit in their final match under Sean Lineen last night and even won the try count, but double-chasing European champions Leinster were ultimately just too good on their own turf at The RDS.

DTH van der Merwe is caught by Leinster players Photograph: Fotosport

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Kevin Ferrie

In perfect conditions on a balmy Dublin evening, a sea of waving blue flags greeted Leinster after Glasgow had taken to the field in near silence before gathering in a huddle which they maintained while their hosts emerged.

Warriors were clearly seeking to generate an intensity which would silence the home crowd, but they struggled to do that in the early stages as Leinster dominated possession.Jonny Sexton and Duncan Weir exchanged early penalties, but Leinster had much the better of things, reclaiming the lead soon afterwards with a second Sexton penalty. They continued to press and when Alex Dunbar slowed things down illegally at a close-range ruck, referee George Clancy could hardly get his yellow card out of his pocket quickly enough.Both Glasgow wingers Freddie Aramburu and DTH van der Merwe got close to telling interceptions during a lengthy goal-line stand by the 14 men before the Canadian finally got his hands on the ball to allow his side to clear.When Sexton then registered his third penalty it felt as if Glasgow had got off lightly, particularly when Dunbar then returned with the damage in his absence having been restricted to three points.Inexperience then showed when, his side having had so little of the ball, Weir surrendered possession with an over-ambitious drop goal attempt, but Glasgow ended the half deep in Leinster territory and still very much in the game.They began the second period much more promisingly and six minutes after the restart Weir got the first kickable chance after fine work by Chris Fusaro at the breakdown, but his attempt from halfway slid right.When Dunbar was then similarly denied a turnover by Leinster's refusal to release in the tackle midway inside their half, Weir missed again, and a crime count of missed opportunities was growing.In the meantime, Eoin O'Malley had hobbled from the field which meant that with Gordon D'Arcy having gone off with a first half blood injury, Leinster had lost both their starting centres.A brilliant break by Cusiter then took play from halfway to within 15 metres of the Leinster line, but the home pack then stamped their authority on proceedings by over-powering Glasgow at a scrum.Glasgow's failure to capitalise on that early second half ascendancy looked like being costly when Riche Gray's failure to roll away at a ruck resulted in a penalty that looked an easy three points for Sexton, but his surprising miss meant there was still only one score between the sides and suggested some nerves in the home ranks. The Ireland stand-off was not going to keep missing, though and when Al Kellock strayed offside at a ruck early in the final quarter, he knocked over the penalty to put his side two scores clear.That first real sight of daylight between the teams put Leinster in a more relaxed mode and the win was sealed when an overlap on the left wing allowed Isa Nacewa to send Dave Kearney into the corner, and Sexton converted to make it a three-score game.Glasgow could have clawed back the deficit had van der Merwe found the supporting Stuart Hogg with the line at his mercy 20 metres out as they broke down the left, but he failed to give the pass.Glasgow did finally register a try when Johnnie Beattie sent fellow replacement Dougie Hall into the right corner four minutes from time and Ruaridh Jackson's injury-time chip behind the defence let Hogg dart through to score, but it was never going to be quite enough to give Lineen the farewell he craved. Leinster: I Nacewa; F McFadden, E O'Malley (A Conway 48), G D'Arcy (I Madigan 20), D Kearney; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy (H van der Merwe 50), R Strauss, M Ross, D Toner (L Cullen 56), B Thorn, S O'Brien (K McLaughlin 54), S Jennings, J Heaslip captGlasgow: S Hogg; F Aramburu, G Morrison (P Murchie 65), A Dunbar, DTH van der Merwe; D Weir (R Jackson 56), C Cusiter (H Pyrgos 75); R Grant (J Welsh 66), P MacArthur (D Hall 54), M Cusack (M Low 47), R Gray (T Ryder 56), A Kellock capt, R Harley, C Fusaro, J Barclay (J Beattie 75). Referee: G Clancy (Ireland).

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Leinster 19 Glasgow 15: Warriors undone

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