CLONGOWES WOOD, who have made it to the final of the Leinster Schools' Cup for the last eight years winning it twice remain on to extend that record after a first round win over college at a bitterly cold Donnybrook yesterday.

CLONGOWES chose to play with the stiff breeze in the first half and when their forwards forced the opposing pack into reverse gear at the very scrum it was clear that it going to be a difficult 35 minutes for Wesley.

Wing David Hourihane got his off the mark with a penalty the 22 after eight minutes

Four minutes later Clongowes further ahead. After Wesley to find touch, Clongowes impressive outside half, Ciaran broke up the left.had men over, but when move broke down Finane was hand to spin the ball out to right wing Gordon D'Arcy, who jinked neatly inside his man before running in for a try near the posts which Hourihane converted.

Half way through that opening Clongowes' forwards play up to Wesley's line scrum half Ross Ryan fed who dived over.

Wesley's forwards became more rated as the half wore on and they transgressed Hourihane was there to kick two more penalties in the 25th and 34th minutes to give Clongowes a commanding 21-0 lead.

Wesley won a penalty deep in Clongowes' 22 after a late tackle on full back Keith Byrne, and from a subsequent ruck, one of Wesley's best performers, Michael Lavelle, dived over beside the posts for a try, which Byrne converted.

The second half was a much tamer affair. David Hourihane kicked a penalty for Clongowes in the 46th minute but Keith Byrne replied in kind in the 56th minute.

Two minutes later Hourihane dived over in the left corner after a blind side break by Ross Ryan. The left wing then rounded off a fine game as he had begun, by kicking a penalty from the 22 one minute into injury time. The Ireland manager Pat Whelan, who's son Shane was playing at full back, looked rather more cheerful than he did after the recent international against Scotland.