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May 12, 2012

Leinster 19 - 15 Glasgow Warriors

GUINNESS PRO12 match played at RDS on Saturday May 12th 2012 | No comments

Sean Lineen is disappointed, but proud of his team's effort, commitment and courage
Glasgow's RaboDirect PRO12 hopes came to end for this season as they went down 19-15 to Leinster at the RDS tonight.

A try from Leinster's David Kearney after 66 minutes took the game beyond the Warriors despite two tries in the last three minutes through Dougie Hall and Stuart Hogg.

Jonathan Sexton struck four penalties and a conversion to bolster Leinster's tally, with Glasgow managing one penalty and a conversion.

Leinster exerted the early control, retaining possession through a series of rucks before Sexton slotted a seventh-minute penalty.

Glasgow were level only two minutes later thanks to a pinpoint kick from Duncan Weir and the visitors drew encouragement from their rugged defence with their scrum also shaping up well.

Sean Lineen's men made Leinster work hard for any territory and Richardt Strauss was penalised for not releasing close to the Glasgow try-line.

Shortly afterwards Sexton restored the hosts' lead with a penalty from just outside the 22, and a clever kick-chase from Isa Nacewa drew the crowd's approval.

After an earlier warning, Alex Dunbar was dispatched to the sin-bin in the 28th minute for blatantly coming in at the side of a ruck five metres from his line.

Federico Aramburu knocked on when trying to intercept a Leinster pass as Glasgow dug their heels in, successfully surviving some hairy moments in their 22.

Fergus McFadden and Cian Healy both went close to breaking the try deadlock before Weir lifted the siege by launching turnover ball downfield.

Back came Leinster though and they gleaned three points from their numerical advantage courtesy of a 38th minute strike from Sexton, going in 9-3 at the break.

Weir missed a chance to open the scoring in the second half, pushing a difficult penalty from distance to the right of the posts.

The game remained tight and tense and Leinster were forced into their second change at centre with the limping Eoin O'Malley joining a bloodied Gordon D'Arcy on the sidelines.

Weir was off target with a penalty attempt from the left and a powerful Leinster scrum robbed Glasgow of possession and a promising position in the home 22.

Despite a penalty miss from Sexton, Leinster turned the screw around the hour mark with Brad Thorn and Shane Jennings ensuring quick ruck ball for them.

Normal service was resumed when Sexton popped over his fourth penalty for a 12-3 scoreline and a rare chink in the Glasgow rearguard allowed Kearney to grab that all-important try.

Jennings put Nacewa through on a diagonal run and he passed for Kearney to make it over in the left corner. Sexton added the extras from the touchline to heighten the blow for Glasgow.

The Warriors showed no signs of wilting though and after Andrew Conway had a try ruled out for an earlier infringement, the Scots closed the gap.

The ball was spun wide for replacement hooker Hall to crash over in the right corner and in injury-time, Ruaridh Jackson's neat grubber kick was gobbled up by Hogg for a second consolation score.

Sean Lineen said: "We're immensely proud of the team for the effort, commitment and courage they showed yet again.

"We're also hugely disappointed, because we genuinely believed we could win this competition.

"It's been a massive honour and privilege to be head coach of Glasgow Warriors. The spirit of the club and its people is second to none.

"The Warriors are in a great place to kick on next season, and I'll enjoy watching that process as a supporter."

Referee George Clancy (Ireland)
Attendance 15,113
Team
1
Ryan Grant
2
Pat MacArthur
3
Michael Cusack
4
Richie Gray
5
Alastair Kellock
6
Robert Harley
7
Chris Fusaro
8
John Barclay
9
Chris Cusiter
10
Duncan Weir
11
DTH van der Merwe
12
Alex Dunbar
13
Graeme Morrison
14
Federico Aramburu
15
Stuart Hogg
Sub
Dougie Hall
Sub
Moray Low
Sub
Jon Welsh
Sub
Tom Ryder
Sub
John Beattie
Sub
Henry Pyrgos
Sub
Ruaridh Jackson
Sub
Peter Murchie
Match Substitutions
Off On
Michael Cusack Moray Low
Off On
Pat MacArthur Dougie Hall
Off On
Duncan Weir Ruaridh Jackson
Off On
Richie Gray Tom Ryder
Off On
Graeme Morrison Peter Murchie
Off On
Ryan Grant Jon Welsh
Off On
Chris Cusiter Henry Pyrgos
Off On
Robert Harley John Beattie
Scorers
Duncan Weir Penalty
Dougie Hall Try 
Stuart Hogg Try 
Ruaridh Jackson Conversion