SCHOOLS RUGBY:A DROP goal from St Fintan's centre Jamie Ward decided the Leinster Schools Development Senior Cup final at Donnybrook yesterday.

St Fintan’s struggled to deal with the powerful combination of Robert Dowse and Stephen Smith in the Tullow backrow and free-running fullback Paddy McCall further out in a scoreless first half.

The landscape of the match looked to have changed when St Fintan’s outhalf Alex O’Driscoll connected from wide on the left two minutes into the new period.

Tullow went straight to their pack for the answers. A lineout, maul and drive to the line created the space for Paul Canavon to get over the line. Canavon converted for a 7-3 lead.

Back St Fintan’s came for O’Driscoll to set up Seán O’Neill for a try, converted by O’Driscoll, in the 50th minute. Ward’s drop goal gave the winners the breathing space to resist a late try from Smith in an exciting finish.

ST FINTAN'S:A Gibbons; J Whyte, K Pierce, J Ward, S O'Neill; A O'Driscoll, D Wickham (capt); J Ryan, K Conlon, J O'Connor, R Keran, E Ryan, D Ryan, N Conway, A Hegarty. Replacements: M Ó Cuinnegeain for Ryan, A Campbell for Keran (both 59 mins).

TULLOW CS:P McCall; A Sibbold, J Kennedy, T Eustace, R Thompson; P Canavon (capt), JJ Connolly; C Ward, S Hegarty, G Hade, J Brown, M Lyston, A Doyle, R Dowse, S Smith. Replacements: J Tobin for Lyston, J Byrne for Sibbold (both half-time).

Referee:U Ryan (Leinster Branch).