Borders 21-26 Leinster

CELTIC LEAGUE Borders (8) 21 Tries: Stuart 2, Feather. Pens: Morton, McRae. Leinster (9) 26 Tries: Kearney. Pens: O'Meara 7 Att: 2,000

Leinster's Brian O'Meara helped himself to 21 points as rock-bottom Borders hit a new low at Netherdale on Friday night.

The Scots literally paid the penalty as dead-eyed O'Meara punished the sloppy home side by firing over seven successful penalties.

The only consolation for the Borders was a brace of touchdowns from centre Jono Stuart which had the home side eyeing a morale-boosting win at one stage.

After O'Meara's first trio of kicks, Stuart reduced the deficit by driving over in the corner on the stroke of half-time following a feed from Chris Cusiter.

And hopes of a rare home win were raised on the restart when Stuart conjured-up a carbon copy of his first score as Leinster showed signs of wilting.

But on-song O'Meara kept the visitors in touch with another penalty before the Irishmen reclaimed the lead through an Aidan Kearney try.

O'Meara slotted another three penalties to open up a 10-point gap before Campbell Feather notched a consolation try deep in injury-time.

Borders: G Morton, C MacRae, J Stuart, K Utterson, A Turnbull, C Laidlaw, C Cusiter, K Todd, R Ford, G Graham, S MacLeod, C Stewart, C Feather, D Kane, T Walker.
Replacements: S Scott, G Cross, D Weir, A Davidson, I Fairley, C Murray, S Paterson.