Presentation, Bray, emerged winners by the skin of their teeth at Anglesea Road yesterday when they held on grimly to a two-point lead. Two tries to one proved to be the difference between the sides in a match where both defences excelled.

Presentation took the lead after 12 minutes with a well-worked back-row movement that set centre Stephen Greenan free for a fine run to the corner.

But De la Salle struck back on the stroke of halftime with a fine individual run from the centre spot by Eamon Higgins, who outflanked the defence with a run along the touchline. Out-half Darren Hanlon converted, and added a penalty three minutes into the second half.

Presentation clinched matters 15 minutes into the second half when their number eight, Luke Mantle, touched down for a push-over try. Captain Alex O'Sullivan added the vital conversion.

Presentation, Bray: K Cassoni; N Hall, S Greenan, K Flood, S King; S Dempsey, D Flynn; S McGuigan, J Moore, A O'Sullivan (capt), J Chambers, A Tew, S Dutton, J Harris-Wright, L Mantle. Replacement: R Shelly for King

De la Salle: M O'Sullivan; B Corless, G Butlestone, E Higgins, J Martin; D Hanlon, S O'Brien (capt); G Claxton, R Lee, H Al Saleh, R Groarke, S Doyle, D Cunningham, R Fitzgerald, K Costello.