Lions Hang On To Make It Two In A Row

Leinster 31 - 30 Glasgow Rugby Donnybrook   Att: 3,655 Referee: Nigel Williams Friday 2nd April 2004, 19:30

Leinster Lions just hung on to make it two wins in a row in the Celtic League for the first time in four months

LEINSTER LIONS 31, GLASGOW 30 New Scottish international outside half Dan Parks had the chance to win the game for Glasgow in the fourth minute of injury time but his kick slipped past the upright. That meant the former Celtic League champions Leinster managed their first back-to-back victories in the league since November to pick up some vital points. Both sides crossed for three tries, but it was the boot of home scrum half Brian O’Meara that made the crucial difference as he helped himself to 16 points with four penalties and two conversions. While Glasgow matched their hosts try for try, Parks could only hit the target with three penalties and three conversions to leave the Scottish side agonisingly short of what would have been a notable triumph. Parks helped hoist Glasgow into a 14-6 lead after 25 minutes with a hand in the first try of the night by international full back Glenn Metcalfe. The Australian-born outside half added the conversion and that put him on the road to a 20 point haul on the night. Yet despite their early promise, Glasgow found themselves 18-14 adrift at the break after the home side had hit back with tries from lock Ben Gissing and James Norton. A 10 point burst from Parks at the start of the second half, including a try, gave Glasgow the upper hand before replacement James Downey grabbed his first provincial try. O’Meara’s conversion put Leinster back in front and he twice swapped penalties with Parks before the game went into injury time. Then came Parks’ chance to steal the glory, but his last gasp kick just drifted wide to leave Leinster with the victory and the visitors with a solitary bonus point.

Leinster V Glasgow Rugby   P D C T Pos Player Player Pos T C D P   FB Girvan Dempsey 15 Glenn Metcalfe FB 1 W Gary Brown 14 Dave Millard W C Gordon D'Arcy 13 Graeme Morrison C C Felipe Contepomi 12 Andrew Henderson C 1 W James Norton 11 Sean Lamont W FH Matt Leek 10 Dan Parks FH 1 3 3 4 2 SH Brian O'Meara 9 Graeme Beveridge SH P John Lyne 1 Andrew Kelly P H David Blaney 2 Gordon Bulloch H 1 P Peter Coyle 3 Euan Murray P L Aidan Kearney 4 Andrew Hall L 1 L Ben Gissing 5 Nathan Ross L FL Aidan McCullen 6 Roland Reid FL FL Niall Ronan 7 Donnie Macfadyen FL 8 Des Dillon 8 Jon Petrie 8 Replacements - Sean Brophy 16 Scott Lawson - r Brian Blaney 17 Matthew Proudfoot - - David Gannon 18 Joe Beardshaw - r Simon Crawford 19 Rory McKay r - Brian O'Riordan 20 Mark McMillan - 1 rfh James Downey 21 Calvin Howarth - - Daragh O'Shea 22 Gareth Maclure - Penalty Tries 0 0

All Pictures: ©  http://www.inpho.ie/, Huw Evans Agency,  Martin Stuart