SCHOOLS RUGBY: BACKROWERS CONOR Hand and Conor Farrell were the key to St Patrick's fourth Leinster Schools (Section A) Duff Junior Cup triumph in five years against a brave St Finian's at Maynooth yesterday.

The Mullingar side had to get off to a fast start with the benefit of the wind at their backs but they couldn’t manage this, Hand surging over for an unconverted try before St Finian’s centre Ronan Wallace kicked a penalty to leave it 5-3 at the interval.

The weight of possession and the St Patrick’s pack proved too much, thereafter, openside Farrell, twice, and number eight Hand forcing their way over for Christian Byrne to convert once.

ST PATRICK'S:D Lynch; J McLoughlin, J Ntambwe, R McLarney, C Honan; C Byrne, N McGrane; T Hamilton, O Lavin-Kelly, A McGoey, C McGarry, R Scott (capt), S Gallagher, C Farrell, C Hand. Replacements: C Bled for McLoughlin (49 mins), E O'Brien for Gallagher, D Ahern for McLarney (both 55 mins).

ST FINIAN'S: B O'Reilly; C Fitzgerald, E Meleady, R Wallace, D Temple; B McNamara, S Kennedy; W Moran, D Raleigh, A Leahy, C Humphries, D Allen, E King, D Conway, A Leahy.

Referee: A Fogarty (Leinster Branch).