OLD WESLEY have devised the formula for success as no other Leinster club in floodlit rugby.

Once more, Wesley answered the call at Anglesea Road last night as they saw off the challenge of Greystones with a 15-11 victory and thus retained the Smithwicks Old Belvedere Floodlit Cup.

This was Wesley's seventh appearance in the decider and the fourth time they have won the trophy. And the man who was the central figure in their triumph was again their veteran full back Niall Farren.

Farren landed all 15 points with a superb display of placing kicking in the most difficult conditions of a very heavy surfaced a high wind and intermittent rain. Despite the demands the climate imposed, the teams produced a fine match that was in the balance right to the end as Greystones defended the 11-3 advantage they had built up in the first half when they played with the wind.

It was not until the 76th minute that Wesley took the lead when Farren kicked his fourth penalty from an acute angle out near the left touchline to make it 12-11. Then in the third minute of injury time, Farren struck again from 35 yards to leave his side four points clear.

Greystones put up a tremendous fight in their effort to regain a trophy they won in 1991. Their forwards yielded little to the Wesley pack with hooker Johnny Murphy and Reg Corrigan often in the van of their endeavours. Their half backs, Kevin Hogan and Richard Murphy, were not afraid to explore the possibilities in the running game and Greystones scored the game's only try in the 34th minute when Barry McAree finished off an excellent movement in the left corner. That left his side 11-3 clear after Murphy had kicked penalties in the ninth and 18th minutes and Farren had been on target into the 31st.

Greystones defended with great resolution in the second half and kept play outside their 25. They held their line intact and dealt effectively with Wesley's rolling maul, but the penalties were conceded and Farren reaped the harvest.

He was on target seven minutes after the interval and again seven minutes later to leave just two points between the sides. But Greystones did not yield to the best efforts of Dave Bursey and Greg Duffy in the line out and the vigorous assaults of Chris Pim and Robbie Love. The half backs, Des Jackson and Adrian Hawe, kicked downwind for position and in the end it paid the dividend.

After Farren landed his fourth goal with four minutes remaining, Richard Murphy had a long range chance for Greystones but it fell short and appropriately Farren then had the final say to complete a 100 per cent record.

. The IRFU has given an additional grant of £195,000 to the schools. It is recognition of the their vital importance to the development of the game.