The Blues were looking to bounce back from four successive losses but their return to RaboDirect PRO12 action ended in a frustrating nine-try defeat in Dublin.

The European Champions had the game sewn up almost before the Blues could draw breath as Richardt Strauss, Ian Madigan and Jamie Heaslip all crossed inside the first 17 minutes.

Dave Kearney secured the bonus point for the hosts nine minutes later and worse was to come when two further first-half scores from Heaslip and Cian Healy followed Scott Andrews' sin binning.

Trailing 40-3 at the break, the Blues looked to be on the verge of their worst-ever PRO12 defeat when Jordi Murphy claimed Leinster's seventh score just a minute-and-a-half after the restart.

But Phil Davies' troops did at least show some real character for the remainder of the match as they scored three tries of their own and kept Leinster down to just one more score until Fionn Carr completed the job with the very last play of the match.

Damian Browne was Leinster's eighth scorer after Cuthbert had cut a beautiful inside angle to beat three defenders on his way to the line but the Blues again hit back when Jason Tovey's cut-out pass gave Leigh Halfpenny a free run in on 64 minutes.

Tom James took advantage of a fortunate bounce to cut the gap further five minutes later but the Blues couldn't quite register what would have been a bonus-point fourth try before Carr had the final say.