Eager to make up for their heavy defeat at the hands of Connacht in the same venue on Friday, Leinster stormed four points clear during the early moments of the contest, with unanswered points from Kevin Feely (free), Paddy Small and Ciarán Kilkenny (two).

It got even better for Dessie Dolan’s side in the seventh minute as Small’s older brother John broke forward from defence to clinically secure a four-point goal.

Additional scores from Feely, Ciarán Byrne, Eoin Murchan and Ciarán Downey either side of the first-quarter mark gave Leinster a commanding 1-8 to 0-0 lead before their opponents finally got up and running with a two-point free from Killian Spillane.

The Kerry attacker and Brian McNamara did their utmost to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but thanks to a point each courtesy of Ray Connellan, Byrne, Feely and Paddy Small, Leinster were 10 ahead moving into the second half.

While Leinster initially remained on top after the resumption with points from Daniel Flynn and Paddy Small, Munster were galvanised by a 35th-minute goal courtesy of Chris Óg Jones.

Points either side of this effort by Spillane (four), Emmet McMahon and Jones suddenly reduced the gap to two and even though Feely and Darren Gallagher eased some pressure off Leinster’s shoulders, Ian Maguire and Spillane kept Munster in touch heading into the final quarter.

It became somewhat stop-start in the closing moments of a game played under the proposed rule changes for Gaelic football, but Munster managed to cut the gap to a bare minimum when Jones lashed over on 53 minutes. However, Leinster subsequently dug deep and ultimately got over the line with late points from Mark Barry, Ronan Wallace and Dean Healy.

Scorers – Leinster: K Feely 0-4 (2f); P Small 0-3; J Small 1-0; C Kilkenny 0-2 (1f), C Byrne 0-2 each; R Connellan, C Downey, E Murchan, D Flynn, D Gallagher, M Barry, R Wallace, D Healy 0-1 each. Munster: K Spillane 0-9 (2 2p f, 1 1p f); C Óg Jones 1-2; B McNamara 0-2 (2p f); E McMahon, I Maguire 0-1 each.

Leinster: S Cluxton; E Porter, D Keoghan, E Murchan; R Wallace, D Howard, J Small; R Connellan, J McCarthy; C Byrne, C Kilkenny, S Bugler; P Small, K Feely, C Downey. Subs: M Bambrick, M Barry, P Cunningham, R Dunphy, D Flynn, D Gallagher, D Healy, R Houlihan, K Roche, R Jones, P Kingston, C Lennon, E O’Carroll, L Pearson, K Quinn.

Munster: J Ryan; M Shanley, J Feehan, D Burke; D Cashman, T Morley, M Taylor; S Walsh, C O’Callaghan; I Maguire, E Cleary, E McMahon; A Griffin, C Og Jones, K Spillane. Subs: C Kelly, S Meehan, S O’Dea, C Walsh, T Walsh, A Sweeney, D Ryan, M Stokes, C O Currin, D O’Connor, B McNamara, P Walsh, J Naughton, D Neville, D Brennan, D O’Sullivan.