First-half tries from David Mathews and Neil Walsh proved crucial as St Mary’s College overcame St Gerard’s of Bray in a scrappy contest at Stradbrook.

The Wicklow lads took the lead through a close-range penalty from centre Adam Simmonds eight minutes in.

The Rathmines school were quick to respond, though, and they restored parity with a penalty of their own just a minute later from full-back Terry Kennedy.

This helped to settle the Mary’s nerves and they went over for their first try of the game after 16 minutes when Mathews grounded to the right of the posts.

Kennedy converted, and a second try from the pacy Walsh just four minutes before the break gave Mary’s a 12-point cushion (15-3) at the interval.

Another penalty from Simmonds cut the margin with 15 minutes remaining, but despite the best endeavours of Gerard’s, Mary’s managed to hold firm.

ST MARY’S COLLEGE –T Kennedy; D O’Connor (S McCahill 49), N Hughes, D Mathews, N Walsh; D Boyle, M Fogarty; M McCormack (G Murphy 57), M Hoey, D Flood; G Kennedy, N Curran; M Kinneen (D Galvin h-t), B Maher, J Farrell.

ST GERARD’S, BRAY — M Gallagher; S O’Reilly, A Lynch, A Simmonds, A Gilsenan-Kavanagh; M O’Brien, S Murray; S O’Shaugnessy, S Gallagher (B Kealy 38), R Boland; M O’Toole, G Martin (R Delaney 65); B O’Reilly, D Smith, J Maguire.

Ref — C Reynolds (Leinster Branch).

Irish Independent