LEINSTER’S HOPES OF closing the gap on Glasgow at the top of the URC suffered a setback as the leaders moved nine points clear of their opponents with a bonus-point victory at Scotstoun.
Two yellow cards within three minutes of a tumultuous first half cost Leinster dear as Warriors ran riot with Brian Deeny and Ronan Kelleher in the bin, scoring 26 unanswered points in a devastating spell.
A try from Hugo Keenan, in his first game for over seven months since the British & Irish Lions tour, gave the visitors hope but Warriors reasserted themselves in the final quarter to seal a comprehensive win.
After a feisty opening, Leinster struck first in the 17th minute. Rieko Ioane intercepted Kyle Rowe’s pass on his own 22 before feeding Joshua Kenny on the right flank.
The wing pinned his ears back and beat Ollie Smith on the outside to score in the corner, Sam Prendergast missing the conversion.
The match took a decisive turn when Leinster were reduced to 13 men in quick succession. First lock Brian Deeny was binned for a deliberate knock-down of Smith’s pass, Glasgow exacting immediate punishment as George Horne spun a tap penalty out to Euan Ferrie whose deft short pass put No.8 Macenzzie Duncan over.
Two minutes later Ronan Kelleher’s upright tackle made head contact with Stafford McDowall and the Leinster hooker joined Deeny on the sidelines.
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Again Warriors were ruthless, cranking up their lineout maul before hooker Gregor Hiddleston finished it off.
It got worse for Leinster, with another sensational Glasgow try from their own 22. McDowall put debutant centre Johnny Ventisei through a hole, took the return pass before feeding the supporting Horne, who sprinted away to the right corner.
It swiftly became four tries in 11 minutes with a brilliant individual try from Rowe. The wing skinned Tommy O’Brien on the outside, kicked ahead and collected it on the bounce before stepping inside Keenan. Horne’s third conversion from four attempts made it 26-5.
Leinster needed a swift response and, back up to 15, they got it when Keenan marked his return by taking Prendergast’s pass to score with the last move of the half.
Prendergast’s conversion made it 26-12 and the same combination nearly produced a third Leinster try on the resumption, but Glasgow held up Keenan over the line.
Leinster huffed and puffed but lacked a cutting edge, Tommy O’Brien’s chip over the last defender drifting dead.
Instead Glasgow stepped it up again and Ollie Smith slipped out of Deeny’s tackle to score Glasgow’s fifth try with 12 minutes left.
Leinster did work replacement Ciarán Frawley over from Prendergast’s short pass late on but Glasgow, fittingly, had the last word, Horne grabbing his second.
It sparked a huge melee, with the end result further yellow cards for Glasgow’s Adam Hastings and Leinster prop Rabah Slimani.
Glasgow: J McKay, K Rowe, J Ventisei (A Hastings 62), S McDowall, O Smith (J Oliver 72), D Lancaster, G Horne; P Schickering (R Sutherland 54), G Hiddleston (S Stephen 72), F Richardson (S Talakai 45), A Craig, A Samuel (J Oguntibeju 69), E Ferrie (A Miller 74), S Vailanu (A Fraser 45), M Duncan.
Yellow card: Hastings 78
Leinster: H Keenan, J Kenny (C Frawley 52), R Ioane, R Henshaw, J O’Brien; S Prendergast, L McGrath (F Gunne 66); A Usanov (J Cahir, 7-17, 77), R Kelleher (J McKee 64), T Clarkson (R Slimani 64), RG Snyman (C O’Tighearnaigh 52), B Deeny, J Conan, W Connors (S Penny 52), J Culhane (M Deegan 54).
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Leinster fall short as Glasgow extend URC lead with bonus-point win
Glasgow 38
Leinster 17
Bryn Palmer reports from Scotstoun Stadium
LEINSTER’S HOPES OF closing the gap on Glasgow at the top of the URC suffered a setback as the leaders moved nine points clear of their opponents with a bonus-point victory at Scotstoun.
Two yellow cards within three minutes of a tumultuous first half cost Leinster dear as Warriors ran riot with Brian Deeny and Ronan Kelleher in the bin, scoring 26 unanswered points in a devastating spell.
A try from Hugo Keenan, in his first game for over seven months since the British & Irish Lions tour, gave the visitors hope but Warriors reasserted themselves in the final quarter to seal a comprehensive win.
After a feisty opening, Leinster struck first in the 17th minute. Rieko Ioane intercepted Kyle Rowe’s pass on his own 22 before feeding Joshua Kenny on the right flank.
The wing pinned his ears back and beat Ollie Smith on the outside to score in the corner, Sam Prendergast missing the conversion.
The match took a decisive turn when Leinster were reduced to 13 men in quick succession. First lock Brian Deeny was binned for a deliberate knock-down of Smith’s pass, Glasgow exacting immediate punishment as George Horne spun a tap penalty out to Euan Ferrie whose deft short pass put No.8 Macenzzie Duncan over.
Two minutes later Ronan Kelleher’s upright tackle made head contact with Stafford McDowall and the Leinster hooker joined Deeny on the sidelines.
Again Warriors were ruthless, cranking up their lineout maul before hooker Gregor Hiddleston finished it off.
It got worse for Leinster, with another sensational Glasgow try from their own 22. McDowall put debutant centre Johnny Ventisei through a hole, took the return pass before feeding the supporting Horne, who sprinted away to the right corner.
It swiftly became four tries in 11 minutes with a brilliant individual try from Rowe. The wing skinned Tommy O’Brien on the outside, kicked ahead and collected it on the bounce before stepping inside Keenan. Horne’s third conversion from four attempts made it 26-5.
Leinster needed a swift response and, back up to 15, they got it when Keenan marked his return by taking Prendergast’s pass to score with the last move of the half.
Prendergast’s conversion made it 26-12 and the same combination nearly produced a third Leinster try on the resumption, but Glasgow held up Keenan over the line.
Leinster huffed and puffed but lacked a cutting edge, Tommy O’Brien’s chip over the last defender drifting dead.
Instead Glasgow stepped it up again and Ollie Smith slipped out of Deeny’s tackle to score Glasgow’s fifth try with 12 minutes left.
Leinster did work replacement Ciarán Frawley over from Prendergast’s short pass late on but Glasgow, fittingly, had the last word, Horne grabbing his second.
It sparked a huge melee, with the end result further yellow cards for Glasgow’s Adam Hastings and Leinster prop Rabah Slimani.
Scorers:
Glasgow:
Tries: Duncan 26, Hiddleston 30, Horne 33, 77, Rowe 36, Smith 68
Cons: Horne 4
Leinster:
Tries: Kenny 17, Keenan 40, Frawley 74
Con: Prendergast
Glasgow: J McKay, K Rowe, J Ventisei (A Hastings 62), S McDowall, O Smith (J Oliver 72), D Lancaster, G Horne; P Schickering (R Sutherland 54), G Hiddleston (S Stephen 72), F Richardson (S Talakai 45), A Craig, A Samuel (J Oguntibeju 69), E Ferrie (A Miller 74), S Vailanu (A Fraser 45), M Duncan.
Yellow card: Hastings 78
Leinster: H Keenan, J Kenny (C Frawley 52), R Ioane, R Henshaw, J O’Brien; S Prendergast, L McGrath (F Gunne 66); A Usanov (J Cahir, 7-17, 77), R Kelleher (J McKee 64), T Clarkson (R Slimani 64), RG Snyman (C O’Tighearnaigh 52), B Deeny, J Conan, W Connors (S Penny 52), J Culhane (M Deegan 54).
Yellow cards: Deeny 26, Kelleher 28, Slimani 78
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
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