Glasgow Rugby ... 25 Leinster ... 21: An understrength Leinster almost snatched victory in Glasgow last night but the absence of so many key players on international duty proved costly in a narrow defeat.

Leinster had a dream start against a Glasgow outfit packed with internationals when centre Kieran Lewis finished off a fine move straight from the kick-off with a try in the corner.

O'Meara extended their lead to 8-0 with a penalty from 28 metres as the home side looked shaken by Leinster's early onslaught.

Glasgow centre Tommy Hayes, who had missed three fairly easy penalties, made amends with an opportunistic try, intercepting a loose Leinster pass halfway to gallop in under the posts unopposed. Calvin Howarth converted.

The visitors had another first-half shock in store for Glasgow when second row Ben Gissing, with a four-man overlap outside, crashed over the line seven minutes before the interval and O'Meara kicked the points to give Leinster a 15-7 interval lead.

Just as the first half opened with a first-minute try, so too did the second, with Glasgow this time taking advantage of sloppy Leinster defence to score a fine try through Jon Steel, but the conversion was missed.

Brian O'Meara kept his 100 per cent kicking record intact with a penalty to extend the lead to 18-12 but two penalties from the boot of home centre Hayes brought the scores level at 18-18 with half an hour to play.

The hitherto reliable O'Meara missed a good penalty opportunity to regain the lead for Leinster after 55 minutes and Hayes also missed chances for the home side.

Referee Nigel Whitehouse angered the home crowd on the hour when he disallowed a Hayes try when Leinster were a man short, with full back Gordon D'Arcy sinbinned for an off-the-ball incident.

There was more frustration for Glasgow when Glen Metcalfe spilled a high pass with the try-line at his mercy but full back Stuart Moffat made amends minutes later with a try made on the right which he converted to put Glasgow 25-18 ahead.

Leinster responded positively and O'Meara slotted a penalty to reduce the arrears to only four points at 25-21 as Hayes was sinbinned. Leinster mounted wave after wave of attack but they lacked the composure to convert pressure into points.

GLASGOW RUGBY: S Moffat; J Steem, A Belloch, T Hayes, G Metcalfe; C Howarth, A Nicol (capt); G Petrie, D McFedyen, G Simpson, G White, A Hall, D Hinton, G Bulloch, C Blaees. Replacements: A Henderson, I McIlroy, G Beveridge, A Wilson, N Ross, A Harrison, B Daly.

LEINSTER: G D'Arcy; J McWeeney, K Lewis, D Quinlan, S Keogh; C Warner, B O'Meara; D Dillon, J Jennings, A McCullen, A Kearney, B Gissing, M Preston, P Smyth (Capt), P Coyne. Replacements: P McKenna, E Dunne, B Willis, M Toland, M Breslin, G Hickie, J Lyne.

Referee: N Whitehouse (Wales).