text: At half-time, everything pointed to another humiliating English defeat in Dublin. Such was the control Leinster had been able to exert on Bath in an utterly one-sided first half punctuated only by a single piece of individual brilliance by fly-half George Ford, it was impossible to see a way back into the contest for the West Countrymen. Outmuscled at the breakdown, bullied in the scrum and laboured in the line-out, Bath were in danger of going down every bit as tamely as England had a month ago. Bath fly half George Ford ghosts past Leinster full-back Rob Kearney on his way to fine individual score at the Aviva Stadium . The England No 10's solo-try was the only score that the West Country outfit managed to register in the first-half . By the end, remarkably, the three-time champions Leinster were hanging on for dear life as wave after wave of Bath attack threatened to deliver one of the great European comebacks. They fell short, but there was pride to be taken in this. Driven on by their pocket general Ford, Bath somehow came within a whisker of finding a way into the last four. Had it not been for a penalty conceded by replacement Matt Garvey with seconds on the clock, they may well have won. ‘There’s a lot of disappointment,’ said Bath head coach Mike Ford. ‘Certainly in the second half we are a lot better than the first. We’re so disappointed because we are a lot better than we showed today, especially in the first half. Ford is congratulated by Bath substitutes Sam Burgess (left) and Max Lahiff following his touchdown . Kearney is taken out in the air by Anthony Watson leading to the full-back being dispatched to the sin-bin for 10 minutes . ‘But it doesn’t dent our belief in what we’re doing. It reinforces it. We lost the game in the first half but I believe that will make us stronger. I’m proud of the boys, but we’ll be even more gutted when we watch the video. It comes down to small margins and I thought the penalty at the end was a dead-set penalty to us.’ He would say that, of course. But his sentiment was correct and Ford insisted his team will retain their determination to attack for the remainder of the Aviva Premiership season. Fly-half Ford was exceptional. Rarely making a false move, dragging his side along with some intelligent kicking, brave distribution and a sharp eye for the gap. His first-half try was a masterpiece of fly-half play as he took the ball flat to line, flashed a dummy and scooted through a non-existent gap before rounding full-back Rob Kearney to score. Bath lock Stuart Hooper crashes over for his side's second try following another dazzling break from Ford . But despite his 21st-minute moment of brilliance, it looked for all the world as if Leinster would repeat Ireland’s Six Nations strangulation of England as Bath’s discipline failed under the pressure of Leinster’s superior set-piece and domination at the breakdown. That impression was compounded when Bath full-back Anthony Watson, one of four visiting players who only a month ago suffered Six Nations heartache on the same Aviva Stadium pitch, spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for a reckless aerial challenge on Kearney. Referee Jerome Garces showed Watson a yellow card, despite the shameful pleas by three Leinster players for him to be shown red, and Leinster centre Ian Madigan kicked two more penalties in his absence to send his side in 15-5 up at half-time and seemingly in complete control. Ian Madigan was in imperious kicking form as the Leinster centre fired over six penalties . But Bath showed their mettle with a wonderful second-half revival. Despite their disappointment at failing to progress, Bath should take enormous confidence in knowing that with more precision they could, should even, have won this game. Their determination to put width on the ball and play at high tempo must be applauded, even if it hasn’t yet brought the silverware the huge investment in their squad will demand sooner rather than later. Leinster scrum half Isaac Boss fires out a pass during a frantic opening quarter in Dublin . The 22-year-old Ford was at the heart of everything they did while Watson proved razor-sharp every time he received the ball. With 47 minutes gone, and Leinster winger Fergus McFadden off the field with a concussion sustained in a tackle from Kyle Eastmond, Ford produced his second moment of magic. This time he stepped on the inside of Devin Toner, before turning on the after-burners and feeding inside to his second-row captain Stuart Hooper to crash over. Suddenly, Bath believed. Another Madigan penalty — his sixth of the afternoon — made it 18-12 to Leinster but Bath had the bit between their teeth. Watson fells the full force of Ben Teo'o's tackle as Kyle Eastmond (left) moves in to support his team-mate . Bath flanker Carl Fearns eyes up Madigan in defence as Jimmy Gopperth (right) looks to make the hit . Watson made a scintillating break from deep within his half before feeding the ball to Ford who in turn flipped a pass to Horacio Agulla. Agonisingly, with the line beckoning, the winger dropped the ball and the chance was lost. It proved a critical moment in an absorbing game. Ford kicked another penalty to drag the score back to 18-15 with six minutes left but the visitors were unable to land the killer blow as Garvey was harshly penalised by Garces with seconds on the clock. Ultimately the first half had cost Ford’s men a crack at Toulon or Wasps in the semi-final. ‘It was a pretty stressful last 15 minutes,’ Leinster director of rugby Matt O’Connor said. ‘I was pretty relaxed before that but they came back really strong. Watson is dangerous from broken field and he cut us up a couple of times. They had threats all over the field. I was pretty relieved by the end.’ Leinster flanker Jordi Murphy rises high to claim a lineout as the Bath pack get ready to defend another attack . Bath's players stand dejected on the Aviva Stadium pitch at the final whistle following their 18-15 defeat .
target: George Ford scythed through the Leinster defence for sublime try in the first half .
  Five penalties from Ian Madigan gave Leinster a 15-5 half-time lead .
  Stuart Hooper crashed over for Bath's second try following another dazzling Ford break .
  Madigan's sixth penalty proved crucial as Leinster held on for a hard-fought victory .