Leinster overcome champions Glasgow to set up URC final at Croke Park

Irish Times

11 hours ago

URC semi-final: Leinster 37 Glasgow 19
Leinster
will host next week's
United Rugby Championship
final at Croke Park after dishing out a 37-19 beating to last year's winners
Glasgow Warriors
.
The province, which has endured three straight URC semi-final defeats, regained their mojo to set up a Dublin decider against the Bulls or Sharks, who meet in the second semi-final on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.15pm).
Dan Sheehan started and finished the first half's try-scoring to give Leinster a 25-5 lead as Jamie Osborne and Tom Clarkson also crossed at a rain-hit Aviva Stadium.
Osborne and Ciaran Frawley made it six tries to one before closing scores from Jamie Dobie and Sione Tuipulotu added to George Horne's fourth-minute effort.
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The hosts hit the ground running with Jamison Gibson-Park pulling the trigger for Sheehan to raid over in the second minute.
Glasgow swiftly cut the gap to 7-5 when Kyle Rowe's inviting kick infield was dotted down by Horne.
Crossing from James Lowe denied Leinster a second try before Sam Prendergast slotted over a 21st-minute penalty.
A Gibson-Park forward pass ruled out an Osborne score but the young centre duly scored out wide from a slick Lowe offload.
Leinster's Ciarán Frawley scores a try. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
Leinster turned a scrum penalty into five more points when Clarkson rumbled over and Sheehan's maul try came on the stroke of half-time.
Despite Tom Jordan switching to fly-half for the Warriors, Leinster, aided by Ryan Baird's player-of-the-match performance, remained in full control.
Following a penalty miss from Prendergast, who had a disappointing day with the boot, Gibson-Park clinically played in Osborne in the 53rd minute to make it 32-5.
Replacement Frawley followed him over the line just four minutes later, with Lowe's initial aerial take igniting a sweeping move.
Leinster's Ryan Baird is tackled by Glasgow's Sione Tuipulotu. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Sprung from the Scots' bench, Dobie raced over in the 71st minute and Tuipulotu displayed his dancing feet with a superb solo try from the edge of Leinster's 22.
SCORING SEQUENCE –
2 mins:
Sheehan try, Prendergast con 7-0;
4:
Horne try 7-5; Prendergast pen 10-5;
27:
Osborne try 15-5;
32:
Clarkson try 20-5;
Half-time 20-5
;
40:
Sheehan try 25-5;
53:
Osborne try, Prendergast con 32-5;
57:
Frawley try 37-5;
71:
Dobie try, Jordan con 37-12;
78:
Tuipulotu try, Jordan con 37-19.
LEINSTER:
J O'Brien; T O'Brien, J Osborne, J Barrett, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, S Penny, J Conan (capt).
Replacements:
R Kelleher for Sheehan, C Frawly for Barrett, RG Snyman for Ryan (all 55 mins), R Slimani for Clarkson, J Boyle for Porter (both 59), R Byrne for Prendergast (60), M Deegan for Conan (63), L McGrath for Gibson-Park (69).
GLASGOW WARRIORS:
J McKay; K Steyn (capt), S Tuipulotu, T Jordan, K Rowe; A Hastings, G Horne; J Bhatti, G Hiddleston, F Richardson; A Samuel, S Cummings; E Ferrie, R Darge, H Venter.
Replacements:
S McDowall for Hastings (h-t), J Matthews for Hiddleston, R Sutherland for Bhatti, S Talakai for Richardson, M Williamson for Samuel (all 44 mins), J Dobie for Horne (51), Duncan for Venter (59), J Mann for Ferrie (72).
Referee:
A Piardi (Italy).