Leinster lived up to their favourites tag as they ended Saracens' Champions Cup defence with a 30-19 victory at the Aviva Stadium.

Tries from Garry Ringrose, man of the match Dan Leavy and James Lowe did the damage, while Johnny Sexton kicked 13 points and Fergus McFadden added a conversion.

The boot of Owen Farrell and a long-range Marcelo Bosch penalty kept Saracens in touch at half-time, but after the break they were only able to add the seven points garnered from Blair Cowan's try.

Leinster will return to the Aviva Stadium in three weeks to face Scarlets, who beat La Rochelle on Good Friday, as they bid to win a fourth European Cup.

As in the other three Champions Cup quarterfinals this weekend it was the home side who started quickest, and a sold-out crowd in Dublin were made to wait less than four minutes for the opening try.

Lowe and Isa Nacewa played a big part in a move that ended with the latter passing to Ringrose on his right shoulder, who cantered over to score.

Sexton converted, and after Farrell had reduced Saracens' arrears with a couple of penalties, the Ireland fly-half rounded out the opening quarter with three points of his own to stretch the Leinster lead to four points.

Saracens had played their way into the game gradually, though, and the two opposing No. 10s would exchange further penalties as a close contest ensued.

As he made his way back from converting his second penalty, however, Sexton petulantly kicked the ball away before the visitors could take the restart.

That gave Bosch the change to draw Saracens within a point with a penalty from halfway, and the Argentine didn't disappoint to make the score 13-12 to the hosts at the beak.

Leinster began the second half as they had done the first, and the momentum of the game would turn their way decisively following a moment of quality from two of the stars of Ireland's recent Grand Slam.

James Ryan took a pass from Leavy at dummy half, before popping the ball back to the back row who sprinted over from the 22.

Ryan was again involved as Leinster built a commanding lead 11 minutes later. The Ireland lock took several defenders with him as he added some impetus to an attack on halfway, and as the ball was recycled left, Sexton was pivotal in putting the Saracens defence on the back foot.

Replacement prop Jack McGrath kept the move going forward, before Lowe took advantage of the surge to dot down while facing the wrong way.

Saracens had a mountain to climb, but while replacement back row Blair Cowan scored on his Champions Cup debut to give them hope the defending champions were unable to breach the home defence again.

The visitors failed to give up but with Devin Toner sin-binned for the hosts late on, handling errors cost them vital momentum and it was Leinster who were able to see out a deserved win.