RUGBY: Leinster A Schools 29 Munster A Schools 8 (Leinster won 37-8 on aggregate):IT TOOK the perseverance of back-five forwards Shane Brennan and replacement Seán Byrne to take Leinster out of the reach of Munster in this two-legged Section A Schools Interprovincial challenge at Donnybrook yesterday.

The aggregate score of 37-8 was earned with the aid of a first-leg 8-0 win in Midleton and, still, it could all have been so different if Munster hooker Ben Cross had not been held up over the line when a try looked certain in the sixth minute.

From there on, Leinster took charge. Outhalf Alex O’Driscoll kept them ticking over by converting two penalties, while centre Sam Crowe picked up a bobbling ball for their first-half try to cancel out that from Munster captain William O’Morochoe to leave it 13-8 at the interval.

The impressive O’Driscoll struck two more penalties as Byrne showed up on the wing for Leinster’s second try and number eight Brennan executed a superb individual effort from 20 metres out near the end of normal time.

LEINSTER A SCHOOLS:F Howley (Newpark); J Buckett (Mount Temple), S Crowe (Newpark Comp), A Douglas (Wilson's Hospital), O Duignan (Newpark); A O'Driscoll (St Fintan's, Sutton), M Higgins (Wicklow CBS); A Marshall (Newpark Comp), J Byrne (Wicklow CBS), D Bawle (Kilkenny CBS), M Dunne (St Kieran's, Kilkenny), R Garland (Newpark Comp), J Pickersgill (St Columba's, capt), S Kealon (St Patrick's, Navan), S Brennan (St Kieran's, Kilkenny). Replacements: K Adimbole (Ardscoil na Ide) for Bawle, S Byrne (St Paul's) for Kealon both half-time, A Martin (St Columba's) for Higgins 44 mins, J Gibbons (Mount Temple) for Byrne, J Wheatley (Newpark) for Garland, A Gibbons (St Fintan's) for Crowe, A Moran (St Patrick's, Navan) for Howley all 65 mins.

MUNSTER A SCHOOLS: R Hunt (Villiers); C Moloney (Bandon), N Hodson (Midleton), A Walsh, S Scallan (both Newtown); D Sweatnam (Bandon), A Atkins (Villiers); N Willoughby (Bandon), B Cross (Newtown), P Marks (St Clements), S O'Sullivan (Midleton), E Fitzgerald (St Clement's), W O'Morochoe (Newtown, capt), S Hunter, P Deane (both Bandon). Replacements: K Ryan (St Nessan's) for Cross, R Meaney (Gaelscoil, Limerick) for Hunter both 48 mins, D James (Midleton) for Atkins 50 mins, E Bedford (Salesians, Pallaskenry) for Marks, D O'Donnell (Abbey) for O'Sullivan both 66 mins.

Referee: S Gallagher (IRFU).