SEAN LINEEN has told Glasgow Warriors they can hold their heads high after a stirring late fight back made them come up just short against Leinster in their Rabo Direct PRO12 semi-final at the Royal Dublin Showgrounds.

Late tries from Dougie Hall and Stuart Hogg took Warriors to within four points of the European champions, but it was too little too late and Glasgow were left to rue a total of four missed kicks by Duncan Weir and Ruaridh Jackson as they went down 19-15.

But Lineen was delighted at his side's efforts in what was his final match in charge of Glasgow before his summer departure to become head of player sourcing for the SRU.

Lineen said: "I am really proud of the boys. We came so close to beating the best team in Europe and by the end Leinster were hanging on. We can go away with our heads held high.

"I believe with the additions that will be arriving over the summer and the experience young guys like Duncan Weir and Stuart Hogg have picked up over this season we could be ready to win something next time around."

Lineen added: "Credit to Leinster, they starved us of the ball in the first-half, kicked their kicks when they had too and proved why they are the best side in Europe.

"But to go to their patch and push them all the way underlines how much progress Glasgow have made."

While Lineen was disappointed he was unable to bow out on a high, the departing Glasgow coach had no doubt that his side have come along way during his seven-year tenure as head coach.

Lineen said: "We are at a stage where no one in Europe relishes playing Glasgow Warriors. What the lads have to do is kick-on again next season. I believe they can do that."

The boot of Leinster stand-off Jonny Sexton proved the difference early on as the Heineken Cup holders reached the break ahead through his three penalties to Weir's one and Glasgow's cause was also undermined by Alex Dunbar's sin-binning.

Leinster rammed home their early superiority when Dave Kearney plunged over after good work from Isa Nacewa to give Leinster a commanding 19-3 lead after the break.

But Warriors refused to go quietly and tries from Hall and Hogg and a Jackson conversion produced a pulsating final three minutes before Glasgow were finally beaten by the clock.

Lineen was particularly pleased with his side's defensive display during the match, especially in the first period.

He said: "We never gave up and our defensive effort on the line was outstanding before the break.

"But you can't keep soaking up the tackles and it told in the end. We will take some consolation that the guys never gave up and came back to score a couple of tries, but as I say it was too little, too late.

"We are out and the guys are really disappointed but they let no one down. We didn't really do it any justice in the first half and we kept giving them the ball back.

"Three line-outs and squandered throws, the scrum in the left hand corner and they pushed us off – there's four set piece attacks gone and we just didn't get enough. But these are the things that accumulate to defeat you and it was frustrating.

"But as I said the lads will learn from it and come back the stronger."