Newport Gwent Dragons suffered their second Celtic League defeat in a row when they went down against Leinster at Donnybrook last night.

But it was another courageous performance by the Dragons, who shared the try count 2-2, Leigh Hinton giving the Dragons the lead and Hal Luscombe getting the second.

The Dragons, already without a number of leading players, were hard hit by illness before the start and by more injuries during the match.

But the final scoreline was still not a fair reflection and Leinster scored 10 points during injury time. They relied on the boot off their captain Felipe Contepomi for the bulk of their points, the Argentinian kicking seven penalties and a conversion for a 23-point haul.

The Dragons never gave up, with Rhys Thomas the pick of a battling pack and Luscombe dangerous whenever he had the ball.

The Dragons, already without seven players through injury and unavailability, were forced to make a late change when outside half Craig Warlow withdrew a few hours before kick off with a stomach bug, replaced by Aled Thomas, making a dramatic debut at short notice.

Thomas showed early nerves as he put in two kicks which both went astray, but the Dragons stormed ahead with a stunning try.

Sione Tuipulotu gathered a stray Girvan Dempsey clearance near touch almost on halfway, barged off a defender and acrobatically handed on to Luscombe who put wing Leigh Hinton over for a sparkling try which Hinton converted himself.

The Dragons promised more when the front row were prominent down the right and when Thomas moved the ball left Luscombe almost made it to the line after injecting real pace into the attack.

He then got back to halt Leinster hooker Bernard Jackman as the Irish side countered, but the Dragons were caught offside in front of their own posts and Felipe Contepomi landed the simple penalty.

The Dragons lost lock Ian Gough temporarily with a cut near his left eye, but they conceded another penalty in front when Tuipulotu illegally used a shoulder and Contepomi again kicked the goal.

Then Hall was penalised and spoken to by the referee and Contepomi kicked Leinster into the lead for the first time with his third penalty four minutes from the interval.

Hinton had a chance to restore the lead but his 40 yard penalty shot hit an upright before Leinster shocked the Dragons when outside half Christian Warner broke and left wing Robert Kearney strode clear and cut inside Kevin Morgan for a fine unconverted try.

Hinton missed another chance as he fired a penalty attempt wide and the Dragons trailed 14-7 at the interl continued from back page val during which they suffered another blow with hooker Steve Jones unable tto resume in his first game back from a knee operation.

Newport club player Andrew Brown replaced him and two more changes were made just six minutes into the half, Richard Bryan replacing Oakley and Adam Black taking over from David Maddocks.

The Dragons' problems multiplied when Hall was yellow carded for going in from the wrong side aand Contepomi landed his fourth penalty.

Dragons skipper Jason Forster replaced Jamie Ringer which seemed to be the signal for all-out attack with the barnstorming Rhys Thomas breaking the gain line and Bryan and Aled Thomas both nearly making the line.

Kearney was sinbinned for killing the ball, but Leinster brought on the cavalry in the shape of British Lions Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie after 59 minutes.

Gough was forced off again with his cut head, replaced by Ringer, but the Dragons hit back against the odds magnificently with their second try eight minutes from the end.

Morgan and Baber both kicked the ball on and when Leinster faled to clear Luscombe pounced for the try, Hinton converting.

In the final minute Contepomi kicked his sixth penalty, cruelly denying the Dragons a bonus point which their efforts deserved. And in injury time Contepomi made it seven and Tuipulotu was yellow carded for hands in a ruck.

The referee seemed to find endlesss injury time and after 88 minutes Dempsey made it to the corner with Contepomi converting.

Leinster: G Dempsey, G Brown (D Hickie 59), K Lewis, F Contepomi (captain), R Kearney, C Warner (S Horgan 59), G Easterby (B O'Meara 67), R Corrigan, B Jackman (D Blaney 59), W Green (R McCormack 67), A Byrnes (S Crawford 76), B Gissing, C Potts, J Heaslip, K Gleeson (N Ronan 84).

Scorers -- tries: L Hinton , H Luscombe; conversions: Hinton (2).

Newport Gwent Dragons: K Morgan (captain), G Wyatt, H Luscombe, S Tuipulotu, L Hinton, A Thomas, G Baber, D Maddocks (A Black 46), S Jones (A Brown 40), R Thomas, I Gough (R Bryan 24-32, J Ringer 65), L Charteris, A Hall, R Oakley (R Bryan 46), J Ringer (J Forster 53).

Scorers -- try: R Kearney, G Dempsey; conversion: Dempsey; penalties: Contepomi (7).

Referee: M A Ireland (Scotland).