Cardiff Rugby left Dublin empty-handed as Leinster enjoyed a triumphant return to the Royal Dublin Showground with a bonus-point win.
The reigning back-to-back BKT United Rugby Championship winners did the damage with a devastating first-half purple patch.
They scored three tries in little more than 10 minutes before Jimmy O’Brien completed his brace to secure the bonus-point.
Mason Grady’s try kept Cardiff in touch and they were much improved in the second-half, however small inaccuracies and Leinster’s stranglehold defence kept them at bay.
Cardiff made seven changes for the trip to Dublin with Taulupe Faletau the standout inclusion following six months on the sidelines.
However, neither Faletau or George Nott, set for his first appearance of the season from the bench, made it to kick-off. Taine Basham subsequently started at eight and Rory Thornon stepped up to the bench.
Leinster dominated the opening exchanges and set up camp in the Cardiff 22. Twice they came close to scoring, with handling errors proving costly and Dan Sheehan penalised for a late hit on his opposite number, Liam Belcher.
But they continued to lay siege with Hugo Keenan finding space on the edge and grubbering ahead for a fine individual try on eight minutes.
Sam Prendergast failed to add the extras but Cardiff were soon reduced to 14-men when Aled Davies was harshly penalised and shown yellow after attempting a jackal.
Leinster doubled their advantage on 16 minutes with Jimmy O’Brien crossing in the corner, off the back of a dominant set-piece, and they made it a quick-fire double as they roared downfield and laid the foundations for Jack Conan to power over.
Prendergast fired both conversions wide but the home side were now 15-0 up and with a one-man advantage and a sold-out Laya Arena in full voice.
The Blue & Blacks weathered the storm and snatched a crucial try on 24 minutes. Callum Sheedy, filling in at scrum-half, cross-kicked a penalty to the corner and Mason Grady beat Keenan in the air to dot down.
Sheedy was unable to add the touchline conversion, but it was an important try to keep Cardiff in touch.
More positivity followed but the visitors were unable to turn pressure into points and Leinster landed a telling blow when O’Brien grabbed his second and Leinster’s fourth on 37 minutes. Prendergast converted from the touchline to make it 22-5 at the interval.
Cardiff were unfortunate not to score on 46 minutes when Taine Basham intercepted, Oliver Coffey’s flat pass and raced 60 metres. The Leinster cover eventually scrambled back with Keenan making the key tackle with some help from Conan, but Basham managed to offload from the floor to Alex Mann.
Mann attempted his own offload as he was bundled into touch and it earned his side an attacking lineout. The Blue & Blacks went through the motions but were unable to breakdown the power-packed home defence.
With Basham continuing to carry tirelessly, Cardiff remained in Leinster territory with Jarrod Evans and Johan Mulder introduced and having an impressive early impact. The former’s jinking break almost creating the opening for a fine try after Matty Young combined with Mulder on the right.
The final pass just would not stick with Leinster’s rush defence and physicality suffocating Corniel van Zyl’s side.
There were further opportunities for both sides, before Leinster scored late through Jamie Osborne to gain the only points of the second-half, as Cardiff fell to their first loss of the URC season and Leinster claimed their first win.
The Blue & Blacks now turn attention to the Investec Champions Cup and a trip to Northampton to face a Saints side that ran in a staggering 11 tries in their 71-48 victory over Bath earlier in the day.