Champions Leinster end season with defeat to Dragons
Friday, 09 May 2008 22:03
Leinster had sealed the title with a 41-8 win over the Dragons six days ago
Champions Leinster ended their Magners League season with a 31-26 defeat to Newport-Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.
The Dragons led 24-15 at the break with Steve Jones, Wayne Evans, Hugh Gustafson and Phil Dollman touching down to earn a bonus point.
Adam Black scored a fifth try for the hosts while Leinster scored tries through Girvan Dempsey and a brace from Michael Berne.
Elsewhere, Ospreys end their season without an away win after losing 20-24 to rock-bottom Connacht at the Sportsground.
The Irish side led 10-0 at the break thanks to a try from Ofisa Treviranus while Andy Dunne kicked over the conversion along with a penalty.
Keith Matthews scored two solo tries for Connacht in the second half with Dunne adding the conversions, before Conor McPhillips was red-carded.
Kristian Phillips and Martin Roberts crashed over for Ospreys late on but the home side held on for their fifth win of the season.
Elsewhere, second-placed Cardiff Blues defeated Ulster 26-17 at Ravenhill.
David Humphreys limped off after just ten minutes with an Achilles injury in his final game for Ulster.
But the home side still came through with tries from Roger Davies, James Down, and a brace from Maama Molitaka.
Ulster, who led 12-7 at the break, crossed the line three times through Tommy Bowe, Simon Danielli, and Paddy Wallace. 