Scoreless in the second half but no problem, as Leinster move up to second in the PRO12 table.
On a chilly night in Dublin, Leinster will happily take the four points as they try to put a horrid couple of weeks on the European front behind them with this 8-3 win.
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A penalty from an off-colour Johnny Sexton and try from Sean Cronin were enough to give them a valuable interpro victory over an Ulster side who could get very little going in attack.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was happy enough.
The first half did little to warm the crowd at a chilly RDS. Leinster dominated possession and territory but heading towards the break had only a 6th minute Sexton penalty to show for it. After a wobbly showing at the setpiece in defeat to Bath last weekend Cullen will have been happy to see the scrum and the lineout perform strongly, with Devin Toner claiming a very important defensive lineout in the 21st minute after a delicious little Paddy Jackson grubber.
By that stage the Ulster fly-half had levelled things up with a penalty but the visitors put very little pressure on Leinster, even if the home side failed to make their dominance count.
Isa Nacewa, a late replacement for the hamstrung Rob Kearney, linked well with the lively Luke Fitzgerald, who’s kick to the corner put Andrew Trimble in all sorts of bother before the half hour.
Zane Kirchner, unmarked on the right wing, looked sure to score minutes later but the ball appeared to slip from Nacewa’s hands as he attempted to pass to the South African.
Leinster’s pressure eventually told before half-time, with Cronin rumbling over after a short lineout. Sexton missed the conversion but a five-point half-time lead was significant in a game that never looked likely to open up.
That said Leinster could have had two tries early in the second half, with Ben Te’o knocking on with the line at his mercy.
Another break, instigated by tighthead Tadhg Furlong brought the best out of some desperate Ulster defenders.
With nearly an hour on the clock, Ulster finally mustered a meaningful attack, Trimble breaking into the Leinster 22, which resulted in a penalty. Ruan Pienaar showed admirable ambition going for the corner but the attack came to nothing after Iain Henderson was pinged for holding on.
Noel Reid, on as a sub for Sexton, went off injured himself with a leg injury that Cullen said looks worse than it was, however Leinster managed to hold on quite comfortably for the four points.
All things considered, Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss was not distraught.
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