Leinster 31
Glasgow 30
Murray Kinsella reports from the RDS
THIS ONE WAS building up a head of steam in a thrilling finale and then the lights went out.
With just 94 seconds left on the clock at the RDS, the power died and the floodlights dropped out, leaving the stadium suddenly drenched in darkness.
The twinkling of smartphones soon added some light but play was halted for well over 10 minutes as the RDS desperately searched for back-up power.
Leinster had needed as much on the pitch only moments earlier, with Joey Carbery sent onto the pitch as a replacement to kick a 75th-minute penalty that proved to be the game-winning score.
The Ireland international’s penalty means Leinster continue to build towards their already-guaranteed home Guinness Pro12 semi-final with a try-scoring bonus point win against Glasgow in their 10th consecutive victory in the championship.
Leo Cullen’s men knew they would host the first semi-final at the RDS on 19 May coming into this evening’s clash and the province rested a raft of their front-liners for the visit of Gregor Townsend’s side.
It had looked like they were heading for a comfortable victory heading into the final quarter of the contest but Finn Russell came off the bench to inspire a Glasgow revival that put them in front at 30-28 with 10 minutes left to play.
But Carbery was sent in as an impact replacement by Cullen and came up trumps with the key shot off the tee before the late electric shock.
When the lights did finally return, Glasgow searched desperately for the winning score but couldn’t break Leinster’s stern defensive stand in front of a brilliant RDS crowd of almost 13,000 people – a crowd that gave Mike Ross a standing ovation on what may have been his final home appearance for the province.
Peter Horne had initially opened the scoring off the tee for Glasgow in the first half but Leinster had their first try within seven minutes of kick-off, Dominic Ryan finishing after Zane Kirchner broke on Ross Byrne’s inside pass.
Ryan swiftly departed through injury but Leinster scored again in the ninth minute as Rory O’Loughlin raced clear from 35 metres out following good aerial competition by Adam Byrne under Ross Byrne’s hanging diagonal kick.
Byrne had converted the first of those tries and exchanged penalties with Horne, as Leinster had to wait until close to half-time for their third try, loosehead Peter Dooley crossing at the back of a big maul. Byrne converted and Leinster lead 23-6 at the break.
Glasgow started the second half well, with Adam Ashe burrowing over from close range for a try awarded by the TMO despite suspicions of a double movement.
Horne added the two extra points, but then Glasgow were reduced to 14 men when wing Leonardo Sarto was sin-binned rather harshly for a no-arms tackle on Tom Daly.
Horne slotted his third penalty to lift some pressure from Glasgow but Zane Kirchner crossed in the right corner in the 60th minute to seal Leinster’s bonus point, benefiting from Adam Byrne’s offload after a delightful pass from replacement centre Noel Reid.
That appeared to be that in terms of the contest, but a tricky night off the tee continued for out-half Ross Byrne as he missed the conversion and Glasgow again showed their attacking quality as they swept to an excellent try through wing Lee Jones in the left corner with 15 minutes to go.
Finn Russell, just off the bench, converted and then darted over for Glasgow’s third try, with his second conversion taking the visitors into a 30-28 lead.
But Leinster had impactful replacements up their sleeve too and Joey Carbery held his nerve off the tee after replacing Byrne at out-half, firing over a 75th-minute penalty to send the Irish province to victory.
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Dominic Ryan, Rory O’Loughlin, Peter Dooley, Zane Kirchner
Conversions: Ross Byrne [1 from 4]
Penalties: Ross Byrne [2 from 2], Joey Carbery [1 from 1]
Glasgow scorers:
Tries: Adam Ashe, Lee Jones, Finn Russell
Conversions: Peter Horne [1 from 1], Finn Russell [2 from 2]
Penalties: Peter Horne [3 from 3]
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Adam Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin, Tom Daly (Noel Reid ’3 to ’10, permanent ’57), Fergus McFadden; Ross Byrne (Joey Carbery ’71), Nick McCarthy (Jamison Gibson-Park ’67); Peter Dooley (Jack McGrath ’57), James Tracy, Mike Ross (Michael Bent ’54); Ross Molony (captain), Mick Kearney (Ian Nagle ’67); Dominic Ryan (Peadar Timmins ’8), Josh van der Flier (Richardt Strauss ’79), Dan Leavy.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Tommy Seymour; Leonardo Sarto (yellow card ’50 to ’60), Nick Grigg (Alex Dunbar ’61), Sam Johnson, Lee Jones; Peter Horne (Finn Russell ’57), Henry Pyrgos (co-captain) (Ali Price ’54); Alex Allan (Gordon Reid ’54), Fraser Brown (Pat MacArthur ’54), Sila Puafisi (Zander Fagerson ’37); Brian Alainu’uese (Rob Harley ’37), Jonny Gray (co-captain); Tim Swinson, Chris Fusaro, Adam Ashe (Matt Fagerson ’61).
Referee: Marius Mitrea [FIR].
Attendance: 12,975.
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