Newbridge 12 Kilkenny College 6:TWO-TRY hero Billy Dardis was the difference between Newbridge and Kilkenny in yesterday's Leinster Schools' Junior League final at Templeville Road.

Kilkenny can have no argument with the outcome as they struggled to threaten the winners’ line. Instead, they had to rely on the accuracy of right wing Simon Williams from penalties in the 21st and 39th minutes for a 6-5 lead.

Captain Dardis arrowed into the left corner for his first try in an impressive piece of opportunism just after half-time in what was a warning to Kilkenny.

Newbridge possessed a number of dangerous runners in behind a set of forwards that struggled at times to handle the technically superior Kilkenny eight.

Eight minutes from time, outhalf Dardis sped through to block a clearance near the 45-metre line before clutching the ball and whizzing in between the last two defenders for a try which was converted by fullback Matthew Madigan.

Fullback Josh Glynn was the hero for St Gerard’s School with all the points, including a try, in the 13-7 defeat of Kilkenny College in the Leinster Schools’ Senior League semi-final at Oak Park, Carlow, yesterday. St Gerard’s will now play King’s Hospital in the final at a date to be decided.

NEWBRIDGE: M Madigan; I Briody, J Coghlan-Murray, B Delaney, P Murphy; B Dardis (capt), M Sutton; J Phelan, J Briody, E Wynne, P O’Neill, R Dalton, O McKnight, C Nugent, B Hayden.

KILKENNY: H Thomas; S Williams, T Bulfin, R Bailey-Kearney (capt), S Sterling; B Ridgeway, S Morrow; J Baker, D Raeburn, C Casey, C Hanbidge, J Holland-Brennan, E Horan, M Triggs, R Bailey. Replacements: S Horan for Thomas (33 mins).

Referee: D Wallace (Leinster Branch).