Munster bowed out of the Guinness PRO14 at the semi-final stage after a tought night at the Aviva Stadium on Friday.
JJ Hanrahan gave Munster the lead after five minutes with a well-struck penalty after CJ Stander won a penalty at the breakdown as Jordan Larmour was forced to hold on.
Johnny Sexton missed the target with his first shot at goal from long range on 10 minutes but Leinster hit the front on 27 minutes when Rónan Kelleher scored off a rolling maul.
An uncharacteristic knock-on from Keith Earls had given Leinster the scrum deep in Munster territory with the hosts winning the penalty and kicking for the corner.
The try went to the TMO for a possible double-movement but the score was awarded and Sexton’s conversion gave Leinster a 7-3 advantage.
Leinster ended the half in the ascendancy and Sexton kicked his first penalty just before the break for a 10-3 lead.
Andrew Conway took a knock on 45 minutes and was replaced by Rory Scannell with the Munster backline rejigged. Shane Daly moved to the wing with Rory and JJ rotating between out-half and full-back.
Stander won a big penalty for Munster deep in the Leinster half on 52 minutes but the decision was overturned as Daly was adjudged to have impeded Lowe in competing for a high ball.
Fantastic work at the breakdown from Tadhg Beirne did yield a penalty after 59 minutes but JJ was unable to land his long-range effort.
Sexton was then pinged for not rolling away with JJ narrowly wide with another effort from distance and Leinster were 13-3 in front when Sexton kicked his second penalty on 67 minutes.
Josh van de Flier was yellow-carded late on with Munster on the attack but Leinster ran out deserved winners.
Guinness PRO14 Semi-Final Round-Up
Andrew Conway departed with an injury in the second half and will be assessed by the medical team.
Munster: Shane Daly; Andrew Conway (Rory Scannell, 45), Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray (Craig Casey, 70); Jeremy Loughman (James Cronin, 56), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne, 67), Stephen Archer (John Ryan, 50); Tadhg Beirne (Gavin Coombes, 77), Billy Holland (Fineen Wycherley, 56); Peter O’Mahony (C), Jack O’Donoghue (Chris Cloete, 50), CJ Stander.