Celtic League: Borders Too Good for Leinster

Victor Costello captained Leinster for the first time in his nine-year career on Saturday, but not even the mercurial number eight could prevent Declan Kidney’s side going down 29-16 at the Borders.

Celtic League: Saturday, January 22
The Borders 29 Leinster 16, Netherdale
Scorers: Borders: Tries: Andy Miller, Charlie Hore; Cons: Hore 2; Pens: Hore 4; Drop gl: Ally Warnock
Leinster: Try: Brian O’Riordan; Con: David Holwell; Pens: Holwell 3

Third-placed Leinster lie fourteen points off league leaders the Ospreys, after the Borders and 21-point hero Charlie Hore proved too good for Kidney’s side – missing 11 Ireland internationals.

The league’s bottom side chalked up their third straight win in what was their opening game of 2005, as Leinster struggled in front of just 1,150 spectators at Netherdale.

Hore swapped early penalties with his Kiwi compatriot David Howell in a first-half which failed to fire.

Two more kicks followed for either side before Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter blazed open the Leinster rearguard. His first-half injury time break set up John Dalziel and he straightened the line enough for flanker Andy Miller to crash over in the left corner. Hore managed to clip over the convert for a 13-6 break advantage.

Despite prop and captain Paul Thomson – another of their New Zealand set – losing the ball forward when attempting to touch down on the restart, the Borders added a further six points through two Hore penalties.

At 19-6 down, Holwell chipped in with his third penalty but Steve Bates’ side confirmed the win when ex-Auckland centre Hore touched down after a spate of slick Borders’ handling.

UCD scrum-half Brian O’Riordan – on as a late replacement – reacted quickest as the ball squirted free from a 5-metre Borders scrum to bag a 72nd-minute try. However Ally Warnock’s late drop goal staved off any hopes Leinster had of a bonus point.

Despite the manner of the loss, there was encouragement for coach Kidney, with Clontarf’s Dave McAllister making his first start at centre, flanker Niall Ronan of Lansdowne continuing his fine development and former Ireland-Under 21 David Gannon getting on for his debut in the closing stages.

34-year-old Costello said, in the aftermath: “It was a very disappointing night at the office for us. We’ve got to try and lick our wounds now, and try and get something positive out of it, and move forward.”

LEINSTER:

(15) Felipe Contepomi
(14) James Norton
(13) Kieran Lewis
(12) David McAllister
(11) Gary Brown
(10) David Holwell
(9) Brian O’Meara
(1) John Lyne
(2) David Blaney
(3) Ricky Nebbett
(4) Ciaran Potts
(5) Ben Gissing
(6) Aidan McCullen
(7) Niall Ronan
(8) Victor Costello

Replacements used: David Quinlan for Lewis (18 mins), Gavin Hickie for Blaney (35-40 mins, 73-ft), Brian O’Riordan for O’Meara (50), John McWeeney for Norton (62), Peter Coyle for Lyne (73), David Gannon for Potts (80)

HT: Borders 13 Leinster 6; Attendance: 1,150
Referee: Neil Ballard (Wales)