Leinster Schools Senior Cup, Section A: Newpark Comprehensive managed a good start and an even better finish but still had to deal with the disappointment of going out of the Leinster Schools Section A Cup to Wilson's Hospital by a 22-15 scoreline in the first round at North Kildare RFC yesterday.
Marlo Brandon's quick try and Fergal Brophy's late double were not enough in the face of Wilson's three tries, from Colin Draper, Nigel Mills and Phillip Gardiner, and the punishing kicking of Jonathan Field.
Holders St Patrick's, Navan, strolled through 56-12 against Kilkenny CBS at Palmerstown. Blindside Neil Finley crashed over for three tries and wing Shane Eite picked off two and slotted three conversions.
Sean Dempsey helped himself to three tries as Skerries CC comprehensively defeated Tullamore CC 43-9, despite the eye-catching kicking of Derrick Farrell, at Naas.
Captain Henry Davis-Goff hit everything that moved in the centre and full back Adam Dean struck for 12 points, including a converted try in the second half, as St Columba's beat Sandford Park 22-5 at Danum.
Number eight Simon Kelly was the stand-out figure in St Conleth's College's backs-to-the-wall second-half act of defiance that kept Good Counsel at bay in Wicklow. A Jamie Hynes try and points from Mark Sexton meant their 10-5 half-time lead was enough.
Kicker Mark McGill made good use of St Mary's, Drogheda's, forward power to run up 14 points in their 29-0 win over Marian College at Malahide. Gorey CS overcame the early concession of a try to Carlow CBS's Mark Byrne to qualify for the second round with tries from Andrew Cody and Stephen Cooper in a 20-5 victory.
At Wicklow RFC: St Conleth's College 10 (J Hynes try; M Sexton pen, con), Good Counsel, New Ross 5 (S Hoyne try).
At Naas: Skerries CC 43 (S Dempsey 3 tries; E O'Mahony, K Keane, J Gavin, D Daly try; E Dempsey 4 cons), Tullamore CC 9 (D Farrell 2 pens, drop goal).
At Danum: St Columba's College 22 (B Cork, K Pierchalla try; A Dean try pen, 2 cons), Sandford Park 5 (N Maybin try).
At North Kildare RFC: Newpark Comprehensive 15 (F Brophy 2 tries; M Brandon try), Wilson's Hospital 22 (C Draper, N Mills, P Gardiner try each; J Field pen, 2 cons).
At New Ross RFC: Gorey CS 20 (A Cody, S Cooper try each; S Farrell pen, 2 cons; Mark McCarthy drop goal), CBS Carlow 5 (M Byrne try).
At Malahide RFC: St Mary's, Drogheda 29 (M McGill 2 tries, 2 cons; T Behan, C Reilly, D Browning try each), Marian College 0.
At Palmerstown: St Patrick's CC, Navan 56 (N Finley 3 tries; J Brennan, R Reilly, K Manning, D Curran, J Murtagh try each; S Eite 2 tries, 3 cons), Kilkenny CBS 12 (J Feely try, R McInerney try each; G Doyle con).
