The Scots have an atrocious record in Dublin having failed to register a win in the city for five years. But with their own internationals in tow, they looked ready to end the hurt against the provinces shadow side.
The products of academy in the backline, Fergus McFadden, Andrew Conway with halfbacks Paul O'Donoghue and Ian Madigan stepped up to fill the void. And along with Isa Nacewa's four penalties it was a try from Conway which made all the difference.
Tim Visser and Chris Paterson touched down for the visitors but ultimately Leinster denied the territory they required to claim the win.
Pre-match, Leinster as an organisation always put on a decent show on occasions such as these. But the fifteen men on the field were determined to make their own contribution by terrifying the Edinburgh defence.
As the patrons flowed in at kick off, dressed in seasonal wares, one could be forgiven for mistaking Conway and his garish sky blue boots for a man in fancy dress. But the flying winger took little time in proving to all watching that the more appropriate colour is jet-blue, matching his jet-heels.
A flowing back moved earned the hosts an early penalty lead. Nacewa sending Dominic Ryan into contact near the touchline before Alistair Grove needlessly crashed into the side of the ruck.
The fullback's kick at goal was right on the limit of his abilities, but on the angle from 45 metres he managed to eke it out.
The lead was wiped out in one fail swoop by a Mike Blair box kick from the half way line. The number nine had spotted the Edinburgh's own flier (Visser) had a mis-match on the wing, against hooker Richardt Strauss. The kick was long, and the race was over in a flash as Visser claimed the bouncing pill in the corner.
With Paterson's missed conversion, a second Nacewa penalty restored the lead midway through the half, but was cancelled out when Mike Ross was penalised for an illegal bind five metres from his own line.
Leinster roared back. Madigan broke the line and found Conway with the offload. The winger again lit up the D4 venue but crashed into three white jerseys before the tryline presented itself. Three more Nacewa points ensued and the hosts took a one point advantage into the half time break.
After the interval the danger posed by the blue jerseys was finally turned into a deserved seven pointer. An attack that began with a Nacewa chipped was kept alive by a quick line out throw from Fergus McFadden.
The hosts rumbled across the field and O'Donoghue, in the midst of an impressive display fed Nathan Hines who popped a pass to Conway on the overlap.
The visitors temporarily narrowed the lead but instantly gifted the three points back.
The consequence? Jeff Young, on the field a matter of seconds after replacing Gordon Cross was sent to the bin. Presumably for giving cheek to Italian official, Carlo Damasco.
But against 14 men, the hosts' defence fell asleep and allowed Blair with his last act of the game to send Paterson under the posts. The experienced fullback was unopposed as he ran home from 20 metres to narrow the deficit to just one with 20 minutes remaining.
As Rob Moffatt and Joe Schmidt emptied their benches the home side continued to dominate territory as the on-lookers braced themselves for a some late drop goals which never came.When the white jerseys did manage to cross the border they were whistled out of it again by Damasco.
That same whistle gave Nacewa the opportunity to seal the win, but the lead remained at one as his effort drifted left.
LEINSTER : I Nacewa; S Horgan, E O'Malley, F McFadden, A Conway; I Madigan, P O'Donoghue; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen (capt), N Hines, D Ryan, S Jennings, S Keogh. Replacements: J Harris-Wright, J McGrath, S Shawe, D Toner, R Ruddock (for Keogh '68), I Boss (for O'Donoghue '53) S Berne (for Madigan '77) D Kearney.
EDINBURGH : C Paterson; J Thompson, A Grove, J Houston, T Visser; A Blair, M Blair;
A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross; S McLeod, F McKenzie, N Talei, R Grant (capt), R Rennie. Replacements-A Kelly, K Traynor (for Jacobsen '60), D Young (for Cross '50), E Lozada (for 'McKenzie '70), S Newlands (for Grant '67), G Laidlaw (for M Blair '57), D Bishop (for A Blair '70), M Robertson.
Referee : C Damasco (FIR).
Attendance: 16,786
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