Leinster 30 Edinburgh 33A still night in Donnybrook, which was initially electrified by the Leinster under-21s putting 56 points on Ulster, was given a second act by the senior team with an unscripted twist in the end bringing this Celtic League match to a bizarre and cruel end for Leinster.
Twice the home side were ahead by 14 points and twice they allowed Edinburgh come back into the match, a penalty almost seven minutes into injury time from outhalf Brendan Laney finally putting them to the sword.
In the end it was weak discipline that let Leinster down. A yellow card for Gordon D'Arcy depleted the team in the second half and then, after David Quinlan was red carded at the death, something was said to the Welsh referee that handed Edinburgh their lifeline from the halfway line.
At 30-30, it looked as though the sides would settle for a draw after Edinburgh surged back from 27-13 down to draw level with a Derrick Lee try deep in injury time. But as Quinlan departed, Hugh Watkins indicated the Leinster centre had been abusive to him and awarded the penalty to the Scots. Laney landed the three points in what was a confused and disappointing end, one that Leinster will wish to forget.
Mathew Leek opened the scoring as Leinster poured forward from the off, a series of sweeping moves ending with D'Arcy grounded inside the Edinburgh 22 and Brendan Burke wriggled through. But with offside signalled play moved back and Leek planted the first of his kicks.
It wasn't long before some more points were stacked up. Two minutes later Brian O'Riordan repaid coach Gary Ella's faith in his ability at scrumhalf. Ben Gissing and Des Dillon brought play up to the Edinburgh 22. O'Riordan side-stepped his opposite number, dummied the pass inside and broke for the line. Again Leek converted for 10-0.
Laney landed a penalty for Edinburgh and the international outhalf should have had a try on 24 minutes when a break up the left from Graeme Burns appeared to put his team-mate through a few paces out from the try line.
Instead, that was to be the beginning of a short phase of ugly play from one of the key players on the visitors' side: Laney dropped the ball and the 4,000 Leinster fans collectively gasped.
Five minutes later Laney faced up to Gordon D'Arcy, apparently going nowhere in midfield. The full back, always willing to take on the defence, ran at an angle to the Scot. Laney cracked, this time in the tackle, and D'Arcy broke through for the softest of scores, with Leek adding two points from an easy angle for 17-3 on 29 minutes.
Edinburgh were fearless in their own way going forward. Simon Webster on the left wing, combining with outside centre Craig Joiner, offered enough creativity and pacey running to threaten Leinster.
But it was from a breakdown under the Leinster posts Edinburgh crept back into the match just two minutes before half-time. As the home defence were sucked in, a quick release found Laney. Running at O'Riordan, there was little the scrumhalf could do and the Scot's momentum brought him over for the try for 17-10 at the break.
There were shades of the Neath-Swansea game of last week where Leinster invited the opposition back into the game, but Leek added a penalty just after the break following Leinster's best phase of play where the ball, in the absence of Edinburgh's sin-binned Simon Cross, was recycled at least 15 times before the visitors conceded the offside for 20-10.
A Laney drop goal was followed by D'Arcy going over again as Leinster surged to 27-13, but from there on it became Edinburgh's game. After D'Arcy's yellow card on 71 minutes, Lee crossed for a try for 27-18. Six minutes later, as Leinster furiously defended, centre Tom Philip went over for 27-23.
Brian O'Meara, kicked for 30-23 before Lee added his second try and Laney converted for 30-30, the final penalty handed Edinburgh the match.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 8 mins: M Leek 3-0; 11: E O'Riordan try, Leek con 10-0; 14: B Laney pen 10-3; 29: G D'Arcy try, Leek con 17-3; B Laney try, con 17-10. Half-time. 47: M Leek pen 20-10; 54: Laney drop goal. 20-13; 58: D'Arcy try, Leek con 27-13; 72: D Lee try 27-18; 78: T Philip try 27-23; 83: B O'Meara pen 30-23; 86: Lee try, Laney con 30-30; 87: Laney pen 30-33.
LEINSTER: G D'Arcy; J McWeeney, G Brown, D Quinlan, B Burke; M Leek, B O'Riordan; J Lyne, G Hickie, E Byrne, L Cullen (capt), B Gissing, A McCullen, S Jennings, D Dillon. Replacements: N Breslin for Jennings (26 mins); B O'Meara for Leek (66 mins); P Coyle for Lyne and A Kearney for Gissing (70 mins).
EDINBURGH: D Lee; S Webster, C Joiner, T Philip, C Sharman; B Laney, G Burns; A Jacobsen, A Kelly, C Smith, G Perret, A Kellock, T Blackadder (capt), S Cross, A Dall. Replacements: A Hogg for Dall (50 mins); C Di Ciacca for Kelly (66 mins).
Referee: H Watkins (Wales).
