Skerries come storming back to exact revenge

Leinster Schools' Cup: In a repeat of last year's final, Skerries Community College gained sweet revenge on holders St Columba's College by winning 12-8 in the Leinster Schools' Section A McMullen Senior Cup first round at Castle Avenue yesterday.

Leinster A Schools full back Dan Manning gave St Columba's an 8-0 lead at the break with a try and penalty. Skerries came storming back as Eddie O'Mahony to reduced the leeway with a try and Philip Matthews, driven over by his pack, completed the comeback with a try, converted by Owen Keane, at the death.

Full back Ian Denham struck a match-winning penalty six minutes from the end to send Mount Temple past De La Salle, Churchtown, 21-20 at Lakeland's Park.

This was a hum-dinger of a contest with De La Salle outhalf Brian Devitt booting over five penalties and centre Darren Spring getting their only try.

Mount Temple's second row Mick Murray (two) and hooker Alan Corcoran crashed over for their tries and Denham applied the dramatic finish.

Newpark Comprehensive's better organisation paved the way for a decisive 31-7 beating of Scoil Eoin, Athy, at Clondalkin.

Centre David O'Rourke's two tries in the eighth and 11th minutes set the pattern for the game and he completed his hat-trick after Conor Ashe's try, converted by Ross Bell, had temporarily brought Athy back into the game.

Sandford Park, powered by a diligent pack, brushed aside Tullamore Community School 37-12 at North Kildare.

It was all over at the break, by which time number eight Kevin O'Dwyer and backs Mark Kelly and Nicholas Finn-Phillips had touched down for a 22-5 advantage.

St Patrick's could be dark horses for the title. Alan McCormack struck for two tries and five conversions for a 20-point haul in their 35-0 win over CBS Carlow at Portarlington.

St Conleth's College squeezed through, thanks to a try from John Doherty and Shane O'Connell's two penalties, by 11-7 against Kilkenny CBS at Arklow.

LEINSTER SCHOOLS' SECTION A SENIOR CUP: At Lakeland's Park - Mount Temple 21 (M Murray 2 tries; A Corcoran try; I Denham 2 pens); De La Salle, Churchtown 20 (D Spring try; B Devitt 5 pens).

At Castle Avenue - Skerries CC 12 (E O'Mahony, P Matthews try each; O Keane con); St Columba's College 8 (D Manning try, pen).

At Clondalkin - Newpark Comprehensive 31 (D O'Rourke 3 tries; C Kelly, S O'Sullivan try each; M Culquhoun 3 cons); Scoil Eoin, Athy 7 (C Ashe try; R Bell con).

At Portarlington - St Patrick's Classical School, Navan 35 (A McCormack 2 tries, 5 cons; S Gallagher, P Murray, C Brady try); CBS Carlow 0.

At North Kildare - Sandford Park 29 (K O'Dwyer, M Kelly, N Finn-Phillips, N Maybin try each; P O'Brien pen, 3 cons); Tullamore CS 12 (Farrell try, con; D Arnold try).

At Arklow - St Conleth's College 11 (John Doherty try; Shane O'Connell 2 pens); Kilkenny CBS 7 (Pen try; R Devane con).

LEINSTER SCHOOLS' SECTION A DUFF JUNIOR CUP - First round: At Arklow - CBS New Ross 15 (T Hanrahan, C Kennedy try each; E Doran pen, con); St Conleth's College 7 (J Hynes try; D Cormicin con).