Leinster end semi-final hoodoo by breezing past URC champs Glasgow

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 Irish province, who had endured three straight URC semi-final defeats, regained their mojo to set up a Dublin decider against the Bulls or Sharks.

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.

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 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.

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.